Google study finds broad AI use, but little evidence of job automation

A Google study analyzing nearly 15 million Gemini interactions found that AI use is widespread across a broad range of occupations, touching 70% of jobs and representing 90% of U.S. employment. However, AI is primarily used as a collaborator for tasks like research, drafting, and troubleshooting, rather than automating entire jobs, with workers using it for only about 21% of their tasks. The study also noted higher AI adoption among workers in higher-paid jobs and wealthier regions, while blue-collar and consumer use, particularly with multimodal AI, exceeded expectations.

• AI use is broad, touching 70% of jobs which represent 90% of U.S. employment, according to a Google study of Gemini interactions.
• Workers primarily use AI as a collaborator for research, drafting, iteration, troubleshooting, and learning, not for delegating entire jobs.
• AI use is shallow, with the average worker using it for only 21% of tasks, and less than 10% of interactions aimed at automating non-routine cognitive work.
• The study analyzed 14.65 million de-identified interactions with Gemini across its app, AI Mode search, and API over two weeks in April.
• Workers in higher-paid jobs and wealthier geographies tend to use AI more.
• Blue-collar workers are using AI, particularly multimodal AI involving images and video, for tasks like seeking diagrams and maps.
• Non-work consumer use accounted for 86% of Gemini conversations, with users employing it for everyday tasks, government services, and processes.
• The study did not include data from business-focused tools like Gemini Enterprise and Google Workspace, which could show higher automation levels.
  Continue reading https://www.axios.com/2026/07/23/google-ai-adoption-work-atlas