Lenovo research: AI risks stalling on outdated digital workplaces

IT leaders believe in the potential of AI, but their digital workplace infrastructure is often insufficiently prepared for large-scale deployment.

Companies see artificial intelligence as an opportunity to increase employee productivity and engagement, but outdated or insufficiently flexible digital workplaces hinder successful implementation. This is evident from a global study by Lenovo among 600 IT leaders.

According to the report Reinventing Workplace Productivity, 79 percent of respondents believe that AI helps employees focus on work with more impact. However, less than half believe that their digital workplace solutions effectively contribute to this goal. Only 36 percent state that their digital work environment adequately supports employees in feeling engaged with their work.

Outdated systems

Although companies are increasingly embracing AI technology, the research shows that many existing IT infrastructures are not keeping up with the evolution. Outdated systems and a lack of flexibility ensure that AI solutions do not fully yield returns. 89 percent of IT leaders indicate that a revision of the digital workplace is necessary to harness the potential of AI.

Personalization of the digital workplace is essential according to 63 percent of respondents, but in practice, many organizations still work with standard solutions. As a result, benefits such as increased productivity and engagement often fail to materialize. IT support also forms a bottleneck: 61 percent see opportunities in AI-driven automation of support, but encounter integration problems or a lack of resources.

Structural changes

According to Lenovo, organizations must structurally integrate AI into their way of working. This means not only automating tools but also rethinking processes and workflows. 51 percent of IT leaders cite improving the employee experience as a top priority for the coming year.

The report advocates for three focus points: a personalized user experience, automated IT processes, and redesigning workflows around AI. By approaching AI not as a separate technology, but as a core component of the workplace, Lenovo believes companies can create added value and increase productivity in the long term.