Brynjolfsson, Li & Raymond (2023) conducted the first large-scale field study of generative AI's impact on worker productivity. Studying over 5,000 customer service agents at a Fortune 500 company, they found:
- 14% average increase in the number of issues resolved per hour
- The gains were largest for novice and low-skilled workers (34% improvement) — AI effectively helped less experienced workers perform at the level of more experienced colleagues
- High-skilled workers showed minimal improvement, suggesting AI acts as a "knowledge equalizer"
- AI-assisted agents also received higher customer satisfaction scores
The Sweet Side
AI tools can democratize expertise, helping less experienced workers perform at higher levels and potentially reducing workplace inequality.
The Bitter Caveat
If AI makes novice workers as productive as experts, employers may have less incentive to invest in training and career development — potentially creating a "skills ceiling" effect.
Source
Brynjolfsson, E., Li, D., & Raymond, L. (2023). Generative AI at Work. NBER Working Paper No. 31161.