Search papers, labs, and topics across Lattice.
This study analyzes the sophistication of generative AI (genAI) usage among nearly 4,000 back-office employees in a large firm, utilizing data from 713,564 employee prompts and model responses over eight months. It finds that senior employees demonstrate more sophisticated genAI use, particularly in functions like Strategy, Digital Innovation, and Project Management, which are aligned with strategic initiatives. Notably, the research reveals a lack of improvement in sophistication over time or following formal AI training, indicating that enhancing sophisticated genAI use may be inherently challenging.
Senior employees leverage generative AI more effectively, but surprisingly, training doesn't boost sophistication across the board.
We study how sophistication in generative AI (genAI) use varies among the back-office workforce of a large firm. Using proprietary data, we observe 713,564 employee prompts and their corresponding large language model responses from nearly 4,000 back-office employees across 15 functional areas over eight months in 2025. We document three main findings. First, senior employees exhibit more sophisticated genAI use, consistent with domain expertise complementing genAI capabilities. Second, sophistication varies considerably across functions and is highest in Strategy, Digital Innovation, and Project Management, three groups that share a focus on firmwide strategic initiatives and organizational change. Third, we observe neither improvements in sophistication over time nor lasting improvements following formal AI training, suggesting that sophisticated use can be difficult to change. Together, our study provides measures of and insights into sophisticated genAI use that managers can use to improve outcomes and that researchers can use in future research.
