In a groundbreaking press release dated March 10, 2026, Snowflake Inc. (NYSE: SNOW), a leader in AI Data Cloud technology, in collaboration with Omdia by Informa TechTarget, unveiled findings from their global research report titled “The ROI of Gen AI and Agents.” This report surveyed 2,050 business and technology leaders across ten countries, revealing that the influence of artificial intelligence (AI) on the workforce is significantly more positive than many headlines have indicated. Notably, 77% of organizations surveyed reported workforce gains, while only 46% experienced reductions in roles.

2. Positive Workforce Impact

The data underlines a net positive impact of AI on employment, particularly within technical roles. Among the organizations surveyed, 42% reported job creation due to AI initiatives, while 11% faced role eliminations. A further 35% experienced a blend of both, leading to the overall optimistic statistic of 77% job creation versus 46% job loss. This trend becomes even more pronounced among organizations that have successfully integrated multiple AI use cases into their operations, with 75% reporting a net positive workforce impact compared to just 56% among those in the early stages of AI adoption.

Key Areas of Job Growth

The report highlights that the strongest job growth is occurring in technical roles. The specific functions benefiting from AI integration include:

IT Operations: 56% report job gains

Cybersecurity: 46% report gains

Software Development: 38% report gains

These findings suggest that while some roles are being automated, organizations are simultaneously restructuring and enhancing their teams, rather than merely cutting jobs. Notably, IT operations faced the dual reality of both the highest job gains and losses, illustrating the complexity of AI's impact.

3. Challenges in Data Readiness and Governance

As organizations increasingly adopt AI, a significant bottleneck has emerged: data readiness and governance. The study reveals that while the return on investment is promising—organizations report earning approximately $1.49 for every dollar invested in AI—96% of respondents face substantial challenges in scaling their AI initiatives.

Primary Barriers Identified

Among the challenges cited by respondents, data-related issues were predominant:

65% struggle to break down AI data siloes

62% find it challenging to measure and monitor AI data quality

62% encounter difficulties in preparing data to be AI-ready

Alarmingly, only 7% of organizations report that more than half of their unstructured data is AI-ready. The United States, with an 8% readiness rate, falls below the global average, highlighting the urgent need for improved data management strategies.

4. AI's Measurable Returns

The report emphasizes that AI is not just a speculative endeavor but a significant driver of measurable business impact. Among early adopters, an impressive 92% reported positive ROI, and businesses are projected to allocate 22% of their technology budgets to AI in the upcoming year. This trend reflects a decisive shift towards viewing AI as a core component of business strategy.

AI Integration Across Functions

Snowflake's findings indicate that AI is already embedded in essential enterprise functions, with varying levels of adoption:

IT Operations: 62% report active AI use

Data Analytics: 59% report active AI use

Cybersecurity: 53% report active AI use

Software Development: 50% report active AI use

Conversely, sectors such as procurement, sales, and marketing are lagging, with only about 30% reporting active AI use. The advertising and media sector leads in AI production, with 42% of organizations currently utilizing AI.

5. Conclusion: A Future Shaped by AI

Summarizing the report's insights, Anahita Tafvizi, Chief Data Analytics Officer at Snowflake, emphasized the importance of effectively utilizing AI to amplify productivity while managing workforce transitions. She stated, “The strongest ROI isn’t coming from experimentation alone; it’s coming from embedding AI into core operations while strengthening data readiness and governance policies.”

As organizations navigate this transformative landscape, it becomes increasingly clear that those who successfully pair AI ambition with robust data infrastructure will be best positioned to thrive in the evolving workforce environment. With its commitment to secure, governed data and AI integration at scale, Snowflake stands ready to lead enterprises from AI experimentation to widespread impact.

For more detailed insights, readers are encouraged to explore the full research report, “The ROI of Gen AI and Agents.”

Original press release