A recent MIT study made waves with a striking conclusion: 95% of corporate AI pilot projects fail to deliver a return on investment. The report set off debate in boardrooms and on LinkedIn about whether the technology is overhyped or to blame for “AI workslop” — or simply being used the wrong way.
What’s clear is that many companies are still struggling to turn experiments into measurable value. Some blame the lack of clear strategy; others point to cultural resistance, data quality issues or the tendency to chase shiny new tools rather than build sustainable systems. Yet on the ground, some workers have already figured out how to make AI indispensable. We’re not talking about the basic stuff — summarizing documents or drafting emails — but the creative, high-impact use cases that save real time, open new possibilities and elevate work in surprising ways.