AI at work: the productivity revolution
The productivity revolution AI promises isn’t about replacing people, it’s about giving them the space to do their best work, in a safe and secure way, highlights Nathan Jamieson, CISO at Iomart Group
It’s rare to see a technology move from buzzword to boardroom priority as quickly as generative AI (genAI). In just over a year, it’s gone from curiosity to daily tool for millions of workers, shaping workflows, speeding up delivery and transforming expectations in almost every sector.
From my perspective as a CISO, the conversation around AI often focuses on risks: data leakage, compliance, misuse. Those concerns are valid and they need to be addressed. But if that’s the only lens we apply, we risk missing something much bigger: the very real productivity revolution already underway.
This isn’t speculative. We now have solid evidence from multiple industries showing how AI is making people faster, sharper, and in some cases, capable of output that rivals more experienced colleagues. The opportunity for businesses is enormous if we can adopt responsibly.
From hype to tangible gains
A recent large-scale study in the US showed that three quarters of employees are already using genAI in some form, whether their employer realises it or not. Even in more conservative UK markets, over half of organisations are piloting AI, with 75% of executives expecting it to deliver efficiency gains and cost reductions.
And this isn’t just about shaving minutes off tasks. The most compelling research shows AI levelling the playing field for less experienced staff, helping them work at the level of more seasoned colleagues.
Case studies that prove the point
- Customer service: At a Fortune 500 software company, a genAI assistant increased issue resolution by 13.8% overall. For junior agents, productivity jumped 34%, closing the gap with peers who had months more experience. It didn’t just speed up the work, it improved customer satisfaction and reduced attrition.
- Software development: A multi-company trial found AI “pair programmers” like GitHub Copilot increased completed coding tasks by 26%. In some cases, coding time halved. Again, the biggest lift came for newer developers, accelerating onboarding and closing skill gaps.
- Consulting: At a global consultancy, 758 consultants using GPT-4 completed 12% more tasks, 25% faster, with outputs rated over 40% higher in quality. Both junior and senior staff improved, but lower performers saw the most dramatic gains.
- Legal services: In trials, lawyers using AI assistants more than doubled their output (a 140% efficiency increase) while also improving work quality. AI handled the groundwork – drafting, research, review — leaving the human lawyers to focus on judgement and nuance.
These aren’t isolated wins. They show a pattern: AI excels at augmenting people in well-defined, information-rich tasks, freeing them to focus on the areas where human expertise is irreplaceable.
What this means for UK businesses
We’ve heard for years about the UK’s productivity challenge. AI offers one of the clearest chances to move that needle.
But the lesson from early adopters is that success comes from augmenting, not replacing. AI should act as a colleague — one that never gets tired, always remembers the handbook, and can handle the repetitive parts of the job so your team can focus on higher-value work.
In smaller UK businesses, I’ve seen AI tools deliver productivity uplifts from 27% to 133% simply by automating scheduling, streamlining inventory, or generating first drafts of documents. These are not expensive, high-risk projects, they’re low-barrier experiments that pay off quickly.
Balancing productivity with protection
Here’s where my CISO hat stays firmly on: AI adoption without governance is risky. “Shadow AI” — employees using public tools without oversight — is already a reality in many organisations. Without the right policies, you risk exposing sensitive data, breaching compliance requirements, or making decisions based on unverified outputs.
The answer isn’t to ban AI. It’s to create a framework for safe, ethical, and effective use. That means:
- Clear guidance on what data can and can’t be shared.
- Training so employees understand both the power and the limits of AI tools.
- Collaboration between IT, security, and business leaders to evaluate and deploy tools that fit your risk appetite.
The real revolution
The productivity revolution AI promises isn’t about replacing people, it’s about giving them the space to do their best work. The research is compelling: AI can accelerate workflows, level up newer staff, and even improve the quality of outputs.
But productivity at any cost carries its own risks. Without the right governance, “shadow AI” adoption can expose sensitive data, introduce bias, and undermine the very progress organisations are trying to make.
That’s why the next step in this conversation isn’t just about what AI can do, but how it should be managed.
Ready to explore how AI can boost productivity in your organisation safely and securely? Speak to our team about building a smarter AI strategy that balances innovation with protection.
