TLDR: A new report from Okta, ‘AI at Work 2025,’ reveals that automation and AI agents are driving significant transformation in the workplace. The study indicates widespread adoption of AI technologies, with a majority of business leaders considering AI critical to their strategy. While productivity gains and cost savings are prominent benefits, the report also underscores critical challenges related to data privacy, security, and the lagging development of robust AI governance strategies.
Okta’s recently released ‘AI at Work 2025’ study, published on August 14, 2025, provides a comprehensive look into how artificial intelligence and automation are fundamentally reshaping the modern workplace. The report highlights a significant shift in business operations, with leaders increasingly recognizing AI as a central component of their strategic initiatives.
According to the findings, a substantial two-thirds of surveyed business leaders view AI as key to their operations, underscoring its strategic importance. The adoption of AI agents is particularly widespread, with an impressive 91% of organizations already integrating them into their workflows. On average, companies are utilizing AI agents for nearly five distinct use cases, demonstrating their versatility across various functions.
Automation and process optimization continue to be the most prevalent applications of AI, with 84% of respondents employing AI in this manner for the second consecutive year. However, the report also points to rapid growth in other areas. Coding and software development saw the largest increase, jumping from 56% in 2024 to 74% in 2025, an 18-percentage-point rise. Content generation and creative applications also moved up, securing the third spot among top AI use cases.
Beyond automation, AI agents are widely deployed to enhance customer service (65%), provide IT support (55%), and assist in coding (51%). The tangible benefits driving this rapid adoption are clear: 84% of leaders reported increased productivity, and 60% cited cost savings. Other reported outcomes include improvements in customer experience, workflow efficiency, decision-making, scalability, and innovation.
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Despite the widespread enthusiasm and benefits, the report also brings to light significant concerns. Data privacy (cited by 68% of respondents) and security risks (60%) emerged as the top AI-related worries. Furthermore, the study emphasizes the critical role of identity and access management (IAM), with 85% of leaders deeming it vital for the successful adoption and integration of AI. A notable ‘governance gap’ was identified, as only 10% of organizations reported having a well-developed strategy or roadmap for managing non-human identities (NHIs), and merely 36% currently possess a centralized governance model for AI. This suggests that while AI deployment is accelerating, the necessary governance frameworks are lagging behind, posing potential risks for organizations navigating this transformative period.
