Software
A new global study released by Snowflake in collaboration with Omdia finds that artificial intelligence adoption is creating more jobs than it eliminates, as companies integrate AI into core business operations.
The report, titled “The ROI of Gen AI and Agents,” surveyed more than 2,050 business and technology leaders across 10 countries who influence AI purchasing decisions in their organizations.
According to the study, 77% of organizations reported increased hiring linked to AI adoption, compared with 46% that reported role reductions, indicating that the technology is reshaping workforces but generating net employment growth overall.
Among respondents, 42% said AI directly created jobs, while 11% reported job losses. Another **35% said they had experienced both hiring and cuts as AI-driven automation and restructuring changed how teams operate.
Anahita Tafvizi said the workforce impact of AI depends largely on how companies deploy the technology.
Organizations that embed AI into core operations—supported by strong data governance and infrastructure—are seeing the greatest returns, she said, while those that remain in experimental stages are less likely to realize meaningful benefits.
The research shows that AI maturity significantly influences workforce outcomes. About 75% of companies with multiple AI use cases reported a positive net workforce impact, compared with 56% of organizations still in early stages of adoption.
Technical roles are seeing the strongest job growth. The largest increases were reported in IT operations (56%), cybersecurity (46%), and software development (38%), as companies hire specialists to deploy and manage AI systems.
However, some roles are also being reduced as automation expands. Job losses were most frequently reported in IT operations (40%), customer support (37%), and data analytics (37%), reflecting how AI is automating repetitive tasks and reshaping job responsibilities.
The report also found that data readiness and governance remain the biggest barriers to scaling AI adoption. Nearly 96% of organizations said they face significant challenges when expanding AI initiatives, with many citing fragmented data systems and poor data quality.
Only 7% of respondents said more than half of their unstructured data is ready for AI use, highlighting the gap between AI ambitions and enterprise data infrastructure.
Despite these challenges, organizations are reporting measurable returns. Companies surveyed said they generate about $1.49 in value for every dollar invested in AI, and plan to allocate around 22% of their technology budgets to AI over the coming year.
The study also found that AI is already deeply embedded in enterprise operations. Around 62% of IT operations teams, 59% of data analytics teams, and 53% of cybersecurity teams report active AI use within their workflows.
Researchers also noted the growing role of AI in software development, with respondents estimating that about 48% of code is now generated with the help of AI tools, underscoring the technology’s expanding influence across enterprise environments.
The report, titled “The ROI of Gen AI and Agents,” surveyed more than 2,050 business and technology leaders across 10 countries who influence AI purchasing decisions in their organizations.
According to the study, 77% of organizations reported increased hiring linked to AI adoption, compared with 46% that reported role reductions, indicating that the technology is reshaping workforces but generating net employment growth overall.
Among respondents, 42% said AI directly created jobs, while 11% reported job losses. Another **35% said they had experienced both hiring and cuts as AI-driven automation and restructuring changed how teams operate.
Anahita Tafvizi said the workforce impact of AI depends largely on how companies deploy the technology.
Organizations that embed AI into core operations—supported by strong data governance and infrastructure—are seeing the greatest returns, she said, while those that remain in experimental stages are less likely to realize meaningful benefits.
The research shows that AI maturity significantly influences workforce outcomes. About 75% of companies with multiple AI use cases reported a positive net workforce impact, compared with 56% of organizations still in early stages of adoption.
Technical roles are seeing the strongest job growth. The largest increases were reported in IT operations (56%), cybersecurity (46%), and software development (38%), as companies hire specialists to deploy and manage AI systems.
However, some roles are also being reduced as automation expands. Job losses were most frequently reported in IT operations (40%), customer support (37%), and data analytics (37%), reflecting how AI is automating repetitive tasks and reshaping job responsibilities.
The report also found that data readiness and governance remain the biggest barriers to scaling AI adoption. Nearly 96% of organizations said they face significant challenges when expanding AI initiatives, with many citing fragmented data systems and poor data quality.
Only 7% of respondents said more than half of their unstructured data is ready for AI use, highlighting the gap between AI ambitions and enterprise data infrastructure.
Despite these challenges, organizations are reporting measurable returns. Companies surveyed said they generate about $1.49 in value for every dollar invested in AI, and plan to allocate around 22% of their technology budgets to AI over the coming year.
The study also found that AI is already deeply embedded in enterprise operations. Around 62% of IT operations teams, 59% of data analytics teams, and 53% of cybersecurity teams report active AI use within their workflows.
Researchers also noted the growing role of AI in software development, with respondents estimating that about 48% of code is now generated with the help of AI tools, underscoring the technology’s expanding influence across enterprise environments.
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