Half of Canadian office staff now using AI tools at work

New research from CDW Canada indicates that artificial intelligence (AI) adoption in the Canadian workplace has reached significant levels, with half of office workers now utilising AI tools at work.

The report, Unlocking AI's Potential: How to Build Trust and Capability in the Canadian Workplace, draws on survey data from 1,005 Canadian office employees across organisations of various sizes and industries. It documents a marked rise in AI usage, with 50 percent of employees in 2025 reporting they use AI tools for work, up from 33 percent in 2024. This increase applies to both work-approved and unapproved AI solutions.

Growth in adoption

CDW Canada's data reflects a shift toward mainstream AI integration. In 2025, half of IT decision-makers surveyed said their organisations had adopted AI tools, compared to 35 percent in 2024. Workplace access to approved AI solutions nearly doubled, growing from 28 percent in 2024 to 51 percent in 2025. Weekly use of these tools among approved users also increased from 38 percent to 55 percent in the same period.

"AI adoption in Canadian workplaces has reached a tipping point in 2025, with half of employees now using AI tools for work and organizational integration seeing an uptake each year," said Brian Matthews, Head of Services Strategy and Development, Modern Workspace at CDW Canada. "We're seeing a clear shift from experimentation to everyday use. The increase in both comfort and access highlights how AI is rapidly becoming a trusted and essential part of the modern workplace."

Employee comfort with AI reflects greater exposure. The proportion of employees who said they were comfortable using AI tools rose from 45 percent in 2024 to 53 percent in 2025.

Policies and training

The report found that formal support-such as policies and training-has a direct positive impact on confidence. Among employees with formal AI training or policy access, 75 percent and 78 percent respectively report higher levels of comfort, compared to 71 percent among those with workplace AI tools but no training and 68 percent among those with no AI-use policies.

However, access to such support is inconsistent. Only 39 percent of all employees surveyed said their organisation had workplace AI policies, and among those with access to AI at work, just 20 percent reported receiving formal training. Many employees without approved workplace AI tools rely on personal learning, such as experimentation (67 percent), social media (21 percent), or online forums (20 percent).

"Employees are ready and eager to embrace AI, but a lack of guidance remains a barrier," said Ashley Otto, Senior Product Manager, Modern Workspace at CDW Canada. "Organisations that invest in formal training, structured policies and reliable tools will not only accelerate adoption but also maximize the benefits and reduce data management risks."

Concerns remain

Despite rapid adoption and a higher comfort level, employees still voice notable concerns. Curiosity about AI remains high, with 48 percent of employees with workplace-approved AI and 47 percent without such access interested in exploring the technology. Key perceived benefits among users include increases in productivity (47 percent), higher quality output (39 percent), and faster innovation (37 percent).

Nevertheless, areas of apprehension persist. Concerns about overdependence on AI were expressed by 60 percent of employees, while 44 percent worried about job loss, and 42 percent raised issues about losing control over AI systems. Among those using approved tools, 49 percent feared exposure of sensitive or proprietary corporate data via personal AI accounts, while 36 percent were concerned about data privacy and security, and content reliability and accuracy.

Non-use of AI is declining, with only 31 percent of office employees in 2025 not using AI at all, compared to 46 percent in 2024. Nonetheless, a proportion of employees-16 percent-said that nothing would encourage them to use AI, a figure unchanged from the previous year.

The findings underscore the importance for organisations to implement clear guidance and fit-for-purpose solutions so that value and trust can be delivered alongside the uptake of these technologies.

Implementation challenges

Managing widespread adoption presents new challenges for IT leaders. According to the report, only 23 percent of organisations with approved AI tools have engaged third-party consultants, leaving many internal teams responsible for navigating adoption, governance, and risk management independently.

This dynamic can potentially slow AI implementation and increase exposure to security and compliance risks, as well as reduce alignment with broader business objectives.

"With the pace of change in AI, it's all too easy for organizations to fall behind if they rush into implementation without expert guidance or wait too long for their workforce to get familiar with these powerful tools," said Brian Matthews. "It is the role of third-party experts to stay on top of industry developments and processes for integration, as organizations often don't have the resources to do so themselves."