ORIGINAL RESEARCH
The Stages of Elevated Human Work
WHAT WE DID
In 2025 we spoke with 19 business leaders and knowledge workers to explore how AI was affecting people, work, and organizational culture. What emerged was the benefits of AI extended beyond productivity.
In 2026, we set out to understand how people's relationship with AI evolves with work and life. We spoke to 10 AI users across roles and industries covering individual contributors and leaders to validate what we had been hearing in our other work on AI adoption.
In both studies we used a combination of AI and human moderation.
What emerged was less an AI maturity model and more a human expansion model, reflecting how people broaden their view of AI’s role in their lives and work.
Permission Seeker
The breakthrough:
"AI can be part of how I work without replacing my judgement."
At the beginning, AI feels new, risky and unfamiliar.
People watch others, experiment with low-stakes use, and establish comfortable boundaries before they feel okay bringing it into their lives and work.
Current State:
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Curious about AI, but cautious about when and how to use it.
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Uncertain about what is appropriate, allowed, or expected.
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Concerned about making mistakes or being judged for taking shortcuts.
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Feeling FOMO as others adopt AI, while waiting for clearer guidance and examples.
What People are Doing:
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Watching how others use AI to understand what feels useful and acceptable.
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Experimenting with small, low risk prompts for fact finding and simple information.
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Looking for clearer rules, training, and reassurance before going further.
Voices from Our Interviews:
Now AI becomes a partner in my thinking.
People move from asking for permission to exploring possibilities. AI helps clarify ideas, challenge assumptions, and see new angles before I make decisions.
Current State:
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Curious and engaged, with growing confidence in their own thinking.
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Less stuck as AI opens up new possibilities and helps break through mental blocks.
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Challenged in a productive way, with AI acting as a sounding board for ideas.
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Better prepared to make decisions and move forward with greater clarity.
What People are Doing:
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Brainstorming and exploring alternatives to generate new ideas and possibilities.
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Organizing complex information to make it easier to understand and act on.
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Pressure testing ideas, asking better questions, and challenging assumptions.
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Preparing for conversations and breaking through mental blocks.
Voices from Our Interviews:
Thinking Partner
The breakthrough:
"AI helps me think more clearly."
Capability Builder
The breakthrough:
"AI helps me do the things I couldn't do before."
Now AI changes what's possible for me.
People move beyond tasks and into impact. AI expands their capabilities, helps them innovate, and allows them to create value in new ways.
Current State:
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Feeling more empowered and capable, with growing excitement about what AI makes possible.
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Working more strategically and increasing the impact of what they can accomplish.
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Proud of what they create and more confident in the quality of their output.
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Less constrained by time, resources, or prior capabilities, enabling them to solve problems they could not before.
What People are Doing:
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Automating complex workflows to reduce manual effort and increase efficiency.
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Building new solutions and creating more personalized experiences with AI.
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Using AI for deeper analysis, innovation, and more sophisticated problem solving.
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Mentoring others and applying AI in ways that drive measurable impact.
Voices from Our Interviews:
Now AI I use AI to redesign work, not just do it.
People step back, challenge the status quo, and use AI to build smarter, simpler, and more effective ways of working.
Current State:
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Empowered to improve how things work and create better ways forward.
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More strategic, future-focused, and oriented toward solutions rather than immediate fixes.
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Greater sense of control over change, with more time spent building than firefighting.
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Able to see the broader impact of their work and make a more meaningful difference.
What People are Doing:
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Mapping existing workflows to identify where AI can improve efficiency and effectiveness.
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Designing new AI-enabled processes and automating repetitive manual tasks.
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Creating templates, tools, and reusable solutions that can scale across work.
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Measuring outcomes and refining approaches to improve impact over time.
Voices from Our Interviews:
Experience Designer
The breakthrough:
"I design better ways to do things at home/work."
At this stage, AI becomes a catalyst for what's next.
People explore emerging capabilities, connect tools together, and continually redesign how work gets done. They don’t wait for the future. They build it.
Current State:
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Excited by what AI makes possible and motivated to push beyond the status quo.
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Comfortable with ambiguity, rapid change, and continuous learning.
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See AI as a partner for expanding what they can accomplish and the impact they can have.
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Feel a responsibility to help others adapt, learn, and navigate what is coming next.
What People are Doing:
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Actively exploring new AI capabilities and asking where else AI can add value.
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Combining multiple AI tools and workflows to tackle more complex needs.
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Experimenting, sharing learnings, and helping others adopt AI more effectively.
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Using AI to strengthen strategic judgment and expand thinking, not replace human decision making.
Voices from Our Interviews:
Strategic Wayfinder
The breakthrough:
"I'm always looking for what's next."
