Your Company's New AI Tools Are Wasting Your Time

Companies are buying AI tools for their employees at record speed, but a new study from Ricoh shows that these tools often make work harder, not easier. While 91% of business leaders believe their AI investments are delivering value, 53% of workers say the AI tools they're given create friction or additional work. Even more—55%—say that managing poor technology gets in the way of their productivity. So despite the hype, AI isn't the productivity booster many hoped for.

The problem isn't just AI—it's that all the tech tools workers use (AI, communication apps, data access, and workflow software) don't work well together. In fact, AI had the least impact on productivity among the four. Three in four employees want systems that integrate better, but only 10% of decision-makers think their tools are well-connected. Hybrid workers feel this most: 25% say disconnected systems make collaboration hard, compared to 14% of remote workers and 16% of office workers.

As a result, nearly half of workers (45%) admit to using non-approved tools like shadow AI at least monthly—basically, they're finding their own AI solutions because the official ones don't cut it. This creates a governance nightmare for employers who can't see what's being used. And with 81% of decision-makers admitting they're investing in new tech faster than they're helping workers adopt it, it's clear companies are moving too fast.

Experts say organizations need to slow down and focus on integrating the tools they already have, rather than constantly adding new ones. The message is simple: AI can be useful, but only if it's implemented thoughtfully and supported properly. Otherwise, it's just another source of frustration.