Productivity is not the only measure of GenAI value in the workplace

In 2023, we created an internal GenAI tool – and opened it up to the entire company. This bold experiment in democratizing access to GenAI has proven to be a great success, and today we have between 12,000 and 15,000 daily users. In addition, our frontline employees are creating multiple AI agents for use by, for example, field engineers. Already, 33% of all Orange Business employees are fully trained to use the technology, with that figure targeted to increase to 50% by the end of 2025.  

Typically, these employees save around two hours per week: these are not the transformational productivity gains that have been promised for GenAI, but our experience suggests that these investments generate value in two ways: firstly, they have a measurable impact on employee satisfaction and, in a time of a global skills shortage, anything that helps to improve staff engagement is absolutely a prize worth having. Secondly, and just as importantly, they form the bottom tier of the use case pyramid, laying the foundations for the adoption of more sophisticated tools and serving as an essential first step in the successful implementation of GenAI.

The generic applications that we hear about today – checking code, creating content, making meeting minutes – form the bottom tier of the pyramid. Many organizations ignore this foundational layer, instead focusing on the middle productivity layer where the greatest short-term ROI is believed to lie. However, our experience suggests that neglecting the groundwork necessary for widespread adoption limits the capacity for sustainable long-term value realized in the top, transformational layer.  

While it’s tempting to chase quick productivity wins—especially when under pressure to justify AI investment, companies that focus only on near-term outputs often find themselves stuck – missing out on the larger transformative benefits GenAI can deliver. Short-termism can lead to abandoned projects, frustrated employees, and a widening gap between AI’s potential and realised value. A balanced approach—one that builds on employee empowerment, realises productivity gains, and keeps an eye firmly on long-term transformation—is critical for sustainable success.

Our belief that grassroots adoption of GenAI is necessary to ease the introduction of more advanced, agentic forms of the technology is backed up by a study by the Boston Consulting Group. It revealed a stark divide in perceptions of AI agents. Employees unfamiliar with AI tools were significantly less likely to see them as valuable partners—only 25% agreed they could support and collaborate with humans, versus 71% of those well-versed in AI. Similarly, 16% of those less familiar with the technology perceived AI as a potential job threat, compared to only 2% of their knowledgeable counterparts. This disparity highlights the crucial need for awareness and understanding of AI to foster acceptance and mitigate fears.

At the base of the pyramid lie immediate employee gains. This tier is all about empowering individuals and teams in their day-to-day work. By integrating secure, enterprise-sanctioned GenAI tools into existing workflows, employees enjoy more streamlined processes, quicker information access, and the freedom to experiment safely. The result? Greater user empowerment, reduced shadow IT risks, and a culture where innovation flourishes from the ground up. When employees feel confident using AI, they not only save time but also contribute to a more connected, agile workplace.

The second tier of the pyramid is where organisations begin to unlock the much-coveted 10x productivity gains. At this stage, the impact of GenAI extends well beyond incremental efficiency: entire workflows (in our case, in areas such as customer support, infrastructure development, and office productivity) are reliably automated. This enables employees to redirect their energy towards more strategic, high-value work. Here, the human role evolves – instead of being "in the loop" and performing repetitive tasks, employees now operate "on the loop", overseeing and authorising processes predominantly managed by intelligent agents.

Although productivity takes centre stage here, it should not be viewed as the sole indicator of GenAI’s worth in the workplace. If you focus exclusively on enhancing capacity, you risk neglecting the empowerment gains at the foundational level and the transformative potential at the summit. Lasting value emerges when productivity gains are recognised as a crucial milestone on the journey – not the finish line.

At the apex of the pyramid are transformation benefits: the deep, strategic changes GenAI can bring to organisations. Here, AI is not just a tool for efficiency but a catalyst for reimagining business models, creating new revenue streams, and delivering value in ways previously unimaginable. This is where the true promise of GenAI—so often compared to the impact of the internet or mobile—comes to life. Organisations that reach this tier are those that think beyond the short term, investing in AI as a driver of lasting competitive advantage.

Orange Business’s three-tier use case pyramid offers a proven framework for unlocking the full value of GenAI in the workplace. Productivity is important, but it is only one piece of the puzzle. By focusing first on empowering employees, then harnessing productivity gains, and ultimately pursuing transformational change, organisations can avoid common pitfalls and set themselves on a path to genuine, lasting impact.

To dive deeper into how to apply this model in your organisation, we invite you to explore "A Blueprint for Value: From employee satisfaction to transformational use of GenAI and all that’s in between" . It’s time to take the blinkers off and embrace the broader, brighter future GenAI can deliver.