A new Inc. article highlights a striking divide in how workers use artificial intelligence — and the advantage that comes to those who use it best. According to a global survey by consulting firm EY of 15,000 employees across 29 countries, an overwhelming 88 % of workers use AI tools daily, but only about 5 % qualify as “advanced” or power users who extract significant value from these tools. These power users are gaining an estimated an extra day and a half of productivity per week, compared with their peers who mostly use AI for basic tasks like summarization.
What separates advanced users from everyone else is their approach. Power users treat AI tools like collaborative junior colleagues rather than one-off helpers, iterating on prompts and refining results instead of accepting the first answer they get. They build reusable prompt libraries and workflows, which boosts consistency and quality of outcomes. Meanwhile, many workers experiment only briefly with AI, get underwhelmed by initial results, and conclude that the tools aren’t worth deeper engagement.
Another key habit of power users is strategically matching tools to specific tasks. Instead of relying on a single generic AI application, they adopt a “barbell strategy,” mastering one or two core tools while supplementing them with several specialized AI apps tailored to particular job functions. This enables them to handle a broader range of tasks — from coding to content creation — more effectively than colleagues who have limited familiarity with the capabilities of different systems.
The article underscores that the widening AI productivity gap isn’t about unequal access to technology — everyone has similar tools available — but rather about mindset and skill. Workers who invest time in learning, experimenting, and integrating AI deeply into their daily workflows are earning recognition and accelerated career progress, while others risk being left behind. Cultivating power-user habits is becoming essential as AI becomes central to professional productivity.
