# AI is being used for more than editing emails in the workspace

Canonical page: https://data.verasight.io/ai/ai-at-work-beyond-editing/
Published: 2026-10-07

> Featured topic in AI & Tech.

28.0% of Americans at least sometimes use AI for work requiring original thinking or judgment. 33.7% at least sometimes rely on AI work output they lack the expertise to check.

## Overview: AI takes on work that requires judgment

In a Verasight survey of 1,000 U.S. adults conducted August 12 to 18, 2026, 28.0% at least sometimes rely on AI for work requiring original thinking, judgment, synthesis or contextual understanding.

Another work question finds 33.7% at least sometimes rely on AI output they lack the expertise to check. Both percentages cover all adults, including those who are not employed or do not use AI at work.

## AI is used for tasks requiring original thinking

Reliance on AI for this work is occasional for 18.0%, frequent for 6.5% and very frequent for 3.5%, totaling 28.0% who use it at least sometimes.

Another 14.5% rarely rely on it and 9.9% never do. The remaining responses are people who do not use AI for work (22.0%) or are not employed (25.6%).

## Some rely on output they cannot fully check

For tasks they lack the expertise to verify, 21.0% rely on AI output sometimes, 9.0% often and 3.7% very often.

This measures reported reliance, not whether the output was correct. It also does not establish that these are the same people who rely on AI for original thinking.

## Editing work messages is another common use

Some 26.2% use AI daily or weekly to change the tone of work messages, including making an email sound nicer or more polite. Daily use is 12.8%, and weekly use is 13.4%.

Another 36.5% never use AI for this purpose, while 28.1% say it does not apply. Keeping those responses in the denominator avoids overstating use among employed adults.

## Supporting evidence

### 28.0% of all Americans at least sometimes rely on AI for work requiring original thinking or judgment; 22.0% do not use AI for work and 25.6% are not employed.

Question: When using generative AI tools for work-related tasks, how often do you rely on AI-generated output for tasks that require original thinking, judgment, synthesis, or contextual interpretation?

Topline:

- I am not currently employed: 25.6%
- I do not use generative AI for work-related tasks: 22.0%
- Sometimes: 18.0%
- Rarely: 14.5%
- Never: 9.9%

### 33.7% of all Americans at least sometimes rely on AI work output they lack the expertise to assess; 22.1% do not use AI for work and 23.1% are not employed.

Question: When using generative AI tools such as ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot, Gemini, or Claude for work-related tasks, how often do you rely on AI-generated output for tasks where you do not have enough expertise to confidently judge whether the output is accurate or appropriate?

Topline:

- I am not currently employed: 23.1%
- I do not use generative AI for work-related tasks: 22.1%
- Sometimes: 21.0%
- Rarely: 11.7%
- Never: 9.4%

### 26.2% of all Americans use AI daily (12.8%) or weekly (13.4%) to adjust the emotional tone of work messages; 28.1% say this use does not apply to them.

Question: For example, to make an email sound nicer or more polite.

Topline:

- Never: 36.5%
- Not applicable (e.g., I am not currently working): 28.1%
- Weekly: 13.4%
- Daily: 12.8%
- Monthly: 7.5%

## Methodology

- Mode: Verasight panel recruited via random address-based sampling, random person-to-person text messaging, and dynamic online targeting
- Population: US adults age 18+
- Field dates: 2026-08-12 → 2026-08-18
- Base (unweighted): 1,000
- Margin of error: +/- 3.2%
- Module: AOM Survey #2026-152
- Sponsor: Verasight
- Weight variable: weight
- Weighting targets: age, race/ethnicity, sex, income, education, region, metropolitan status

## Sources

- [When using generative AI tools for work-related tasks, how often do you rely on AI-generated output for tasks that require original thinking, judgment, synthesis, or contextual interpretation?](https://reports.verasight.io/r/aom-2026#q-23): reports.verasight.io/r/aom-2026
- [When using generative AI tools such as ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot, Gemini, or Claude for work-related tasks, how often do you rely on AI-generated output for tasks where you do not have enough expertise to confidently judge whether the output is accurate or appropriate?](https://reports.verasight.io/r/aom-2026#q-22): reports.verasight.io/r/aom-2026
- [For example, to make an email sound nicer or more polite.](https://reports.verasight.io/r/aom-2026#q-9): reports.verasight.io/r/aom-2026

## Citation

AOM Omnibus, fielded August 12-18, 2026, N=1,000 US adults age 18+, +/- 3.2%.

Canonical question URL: [https://reports.verasight.io/r/aom-2026#q-23](https://reports.verasight.io/r/aom-2026#q-23)