A survey has revealed that while the expansion of AI utilization in domestic companies has increased work processing speeds, the actual improvement in productivity is limited due to the increased need to verify and modify generated results.

Workday released survey data on Korea among its global research results on the 11th. The survey was conducted in November 2025 in partnership with Hannover Research and involved 3,200 corporate employees across the Asia-Pacific, North America, and Europe, Middle East, and Africa regions.

According to the survey, 69% of Korean employees reported that productivity improved after the introduction of AI. Additionally, 82% responded that they saved 1 to 7 hours of work time per week through the use of AI. However, it was found that some of this saved time was being used to modify or re-verify the results generated by the AI.

In particular, it was found that about 31% of domestic office workers spend an average of 1 to 2 hours per week clarifying, modifying, or rewriting results generated by AI. The report defined this as the 'Rework Tax' and identified it as one of the factors hindering the time saved by AI from leading to actual results.

The level of AI utilization also showed characteristics of being in the early stages of diffusion. Among domestic employees, only 22% used AI tools daily, while nearly half (48%) used them only a few times a week. Furthermore, it was found that less than half of corporate job functions were updated to reflect AI capabilities, leading to an analysis that the new technology is being utilized only in a limited manner within existing work structures.

On the other hand, the perception of linking the results of AI utilization to strengthening talent capabilities was relatively high. 54% of executives cited reinvesting the results obtained through AI into training and skill improvement as a priority, and 53% of employees responded that such investments are already being made. The survey found that employees with positive experiences using AI are more likely to utilize the time saved for in-depth analysis or strategic tasks rather than simply increasing their workload.

Experts believe that to translate the benefits of AI adoption into tangible business results, changes in organizational structure and work methods must accompany the diffusion of technology. This is because if AI is introduced while maintaining the existing job system, there is a high likelihood that productivity improvements will be absorbed back into verification and management tasks. Ultimately, a strategy of utilizing the time gained through AI to enhance talent capabilities and improve collaboration is expected to become a key factor determining corporate competitiveness.