A new study from Foxit Software exposes sharp differences exist between executive perceptions and end-user realities, with accuracy concerns and review burden driving net productivity losses.
FREMONT, Calif. and AUSTIN, Texas, March 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — SXSW — Artificial intelligence (AI) is widely perceived as a productivity breakthrough in document workflows. However, new research from Foxit Software reveals that once validation time is factored in, executives gain just 16 minutes per week, and end users lose 14 minutes. The findings, published today in Foxit’s The State of Document Intelligence report, expose a significant disconnect between how AI is perceived and how it performs in real-world document work.
The report, based on independent research conducted by Sapio Research, surveyed 1,000 desk-based end users and 400 senior executives responsible for AI implementation across the United States and the United Kingdom.
While 89% of executives and 79% of end users say they feel more productive since adopting AI tools, the data tells a different story. Executives believe AI saves them an average of 4.6 hours per week, yet they spend 4 hours and 20 minutes per week validating AI-generated outputs. End users report saving 3.6 hours per week, but spend 3 hours and 50 minutes reviewing those outputs. The pattern holds across both markets. U.S. respondents experienced a net time loss of 10 minutes per week, while U.K. respondents saw a marginal gain of two minutes.
“AI accelerates creation, but it introduces new layers of review, fact-checking and correction,” said Evan Reiss, senior vice president of marketing at Foxit Software. “Work is not disappearing. It is being redistributed. The future of document intelligence will not be defined by more AI features but by better integration, reduced validation burden and systems that augment human capability rather than replace it.”
Trust Remains the Primary Barrier
Across all sectors and roles, the biggest blockers to deeper AI adoption are human-centric concerns. Data privacy and security concerns were cited by 36% of respondents, trust in AI output by 34%, and response accuracy by 25%. These concerns can outweigh the demand for new features or a clearer return on investment.
Confidence in AI accuracy diverges sharply by seniority. A third of end users and 60% of executives say they are highly confident in AI-generated outputs. Only 1 in 10 end users describes themselves as “extremely confident” in AI accuracy, compared with 1 in 4 executives. The research found that confidence tracks closely with frequency of use, creating a risk that executive overconfidence and end-user caution coexist within the same workflows.
Workforce Structures Shifting Faster than Employee Awareness
The report revealed that 68% of executives say AI adoption has already triggered restructuring or headcount changes within their organizations, and 72% cite retraining or upskilling existing employees as a high or top priority. Just over 20% of executives anticipate more than a quarter of roles will be affected. Despite these projections, only 12% of end users report being “very concerned” about job security, indicating a significant awareness gap between leadership and the front lines.
Critical Thinking and Human Problem-Solving
Both end users and executives believe AI tools are reducing critical-thinking skills. Over-reliance on AI for decision-making ranked as the No. 1 concern for both groups, with executives ranking it 10 percentage points higher than end users. A clear majority of executives and end users said it is very or extremely important that human problem-solving skills are preserved as AI expands.
Strikingly, the study found that AI maturity is paradoxical. Among those who use AI multiple times a day, almost three-quarters rated human problem-solving skills as very or extremely important. Over 90% of daily users said AI has improved their productivity, but rather than becoming dependent, these mature users showed a more nuanced appreciation of AI’s limitations.
What Executives Expect Next, ROE Emerges
Three-quarters of executives expect AI use in document workflows to increase over the next year. When asked what would make AI more valuable over the next two to three years, executives prioritized reliable, accurate outputs; shorter validation time through improved training; and better integration with existing tools and systems. Importantly, return on employee (ROE) metrics are taking their rightful place alongside traditional return-on-investment (ROI) measures to capture the true impact of AI on document intelligence. The research data show that 93% of organizations now track ROE dimensions. ROE, which captures improvements in employee capability, confidence and satisfaction, as well as productivity, is emerging as a meaningful framework for evaluating AI investments in document workflows.
“The success of document intelligence relies as much on human confidence as on technical performance,” Reiss said. “Accuracy, transparency and clear human-in-the-loop design are the foundations of trust and therefore the foundations of adoption.”
Download The State of Document Intelligence: How AI Is Reshaping Productivity, Trust, and the Future of Document Work today.
About Foxit
Foxit Software is a leading provider of innovative PDF and document intelligence solutions. With more than 700 million users and over 640,000 customers worldwide, Foxit delivers AI-powered tools for document creation, editing, electronic signatures and collaboration. As the first PDF editor to incorporate AI, Foxit helps organizations embed intelligent document workflows that enhance productivity while keeping humans in control of judgment and decision-making. More information is available at www.foxit.com.
SOURCE Foxit Software