OpenAI research shows AI is expanding work across job roles

OpenAI research finds AI is helping workers perform tasks beyond their traditional roles, with cross-functional AI use especially common in small businesses where employees often handle broader responsibilities.

OpenAI has released new research showing how AI is reshaping work by enabling people to perform tasks traditionally handled by other professions.

An analysis of more than 800,000 work-related ChatGPT conversations found that 43.5% of occupation-specific AI usage involved tasks outside a user's primary role.

The trend is strongest in small businesses, where employees often rely on AI to complete work that would otherwise require specialists. OpenAI suggests this "task crossover" reflects an early shift in how jobs are organized, with AI expanding worker capabilities before changes appear in job titles or organizational structures.

OpenAI