From Searches to Summaries, AI Is Reshaping Workplaces in South Korea (Yonhap)
SEOUL, Feb. 3 (Korea Bizwire) — Nearly six in 10 South Korean office workers are now using artificial intelligence tools in their jobs, underscoring how quickly AI has become embedded in everyday work, according to a new survey released Monday.
The findings, published by Notion, a global AI-based collaboration platform, are based on a poll of 480 employees and freelancers in South Korea who have prior experience using AI tools. Conducted between Sept. 30 and Oct. 3 last year, the survey found that 61.5 percent of respondents already rely on AI for work tasks — a higher rate than for personal assistance, learning or leisure activities.
At work, AI is most commonly used for information searches, summaries, refining written language, drafting reports and documents, and translation. The most active adopters were workers in their late 30s, with 71.7 percent of respondents aged 35 to 39 reporting regular use. This group was also the most likely to say AI fits naturally into their daily workflows and to use AI tools six days a week or more.
Younger workers in their late 20s showed the broadest range of use, applying AI not only at work but also for daily assistance, casual conversation and even mental health or counseling support.
Most respondents expressed satisfaction with AI-assisted work. More than 60 percent said AI tools had reduced the time spent on repetitive tasks, allowing greater focus on creative and strategic work, while 89 percent said AI would bring positive changes to how work is done.
Still, caution remains. Respondents cited concerns about reliability, data security and privacy, and inconsistent outputs as barriers to wider adoption. As a result, nearly all users said they review and edit AI-generated results before using them.
Notion said the findings suggest South Korean workers view AI as a capable colleague rather than a fully autonomous replacement. “The future of work is already taking shape in Korea,” said Park Dae-sung, head of Notion Korea, adding that AI-driven efficiency is allowing humans to focus more on strategy, creativity and collaboration.
The survey was conducted jointly with the University Tomorrow 20s Research Institute, which specializes in generational studies.
Ashley Song (ashley@koreabizwire.com)
