Generative AI can help people complete some tasks faster and explore ideas more widely. The benefits depend on the task, the people using the tool and the quality checks around it. The OECD’s 2025 review brings together experimental research on productivity, innovation and entrepreneurship.
What the OECD research covers
The report examines task automation, changes in people’s skills and business operations, creativity, research and development, and barriers to starting a business. It also discusses challenges involving trust and human expertise.
Read the primary source: Calvino, Reijerink and Samek (2025), The effects of generative AI on productivity, innovation and entrepreneurship, OECD Artificial Intelligence Papers, No. 39.
Start with a defined business task
For an SME, a useful first step is to choose a repeatable task with an observable result. Examples include preparing a first draft of a report, organizing meeting notes or comparing options for a project. These are practical starting points for a pilot; their value needs to be measured in your own workflow.
Record how long the task takes today and what a good result looks like. Then compare the AI-assisted version using the same quality standard. Include the time spent checking and correcting the output when assessing any improvement.
Keep human judgment in the workflow
Assign a person to review important outputs and decide what happens next. Give the team clear instructions about which information they may use and where to verify a claim. Discuss mistakes openly so the workflow can improve.
Choose a small set of measures: time spent, quality of the result and whether the work helps the team achieve its goal. Review these together rather than treating speed alone as success.
What the OECD's AI study means for businesses in practice
The research gives leaders a reason to test useful applications carefully. Begin with one task, train the people involved and review the outcome before expanding the pilot. A result measured in one setting should be evaluated again when the task or team changes.
Suunta.ai connects strategy, OKRs, projects and KPIs in daily work. To explore that workflow, see how Suunta.ai works or compare Suunta.ai and ChatGPT for strategy execution.