Much of the public conversation around AI centers on tools and features. An equally important question is how people are actually using AI in daily life, across work, home, and different kinds of tasks.

A University of Iowa research team led by Ken Brown recently surveyed 1,000 people across the country to better understand those patterns. Brown, a professor of management and entrepreneurship in the Tippie College of Business, worked with UI College of Education professor Brian An and management doctoral student Drew Jauron on the project. Their early findings have been featured by the College of Education, Iowa Capital Dispatch, The Daily Iowan, and Radio Iowa.  

The study asked about AI use across three generative AI services. ChatGPT, Gemini, and Copilot,  and across four purposes: personal projects, personal learning, work projects, and work learning. That level of detail offers a more specific picture of both which tools people are using and what they are using them for.  

This spotlight is not a summary of the full dataset. It is one example of Iowa research in progress that helps us think more carefully about how AI is showing up in real life and what that may mean for future workplace and communication patterns.  

To learn more, readers can start with the College of Education news post and then explore the related coverage in Iowa Capital Dispatch, The Daily Iowan, or Radio Iowa. For additional Iowa-related updates, subscribe to the AI at Iowa newsletter and visit the AI Tools page for information on University-supported resources.