[IT Engineer Awareness Survey] Over 90% Feel Productivity Improvement with Generative AI, 70% Say It Influences Job Selection
A survey by SHIFT Inc. reveals that over 70% of IT engineers using generative AI at least twice a week experience increased productivity, and over 90% believe a company's generative AI initiatives influence their job selection. This suggests a significant impact on corporate value and recruitment competitiveness.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 23, 2026 at 22:00
- 🔍 Collected: April 23, 2026 at 13:31
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 23, 2026 at 23:31 (9h 59m after Collected)
SHIFT Inc. (Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo; President and CEO: Dai Tange; Prime Market: 3697; hereinafter SHIFT), which supports customers in creating marketable software services/products, has expanded its business by identifying and nurturing individual abilities and aptitudes, and by providing services to a greater number of customers. In recent years, the company has clarified its AI-based growth strategy and is promoting the improvement of IT engineers' productivity and the sophistication of its business structure through thorough company-wide AI utilization.
With the aim of building an environment where each IT engineer can work more productively and achieve their ideal work style and career development, SHIFT conducted an "Awareness Survey on Generative AI Utilization in Affiliated Companies" targeting IT engineers nationwide from December 22, 2025, to January 13, 2026.
■ Overview of "Awareness Survey on AI Utilization in Affiliated Companies" Results
・Over 70% of those who use generative AI 2-3 times a week feel an improvement in productivity.
・More than half of companies' non-IT departments have not progressed or are undecided on generative AI adoption.
・Key factors for generative AI adoption are the visualization of effects/uses and the establishment of security governance.
・Generative AI initiatives impact corporate value and recruitment competitiveness.
■ Survey Outline
Survey Name: Awareness Survey on Generative AI in Affiliated Companies
Target: IT engineers residing in Japan
Survey Period: December 22, 2025 (Mon) - January 13, 2026 (Tue)
Survey Method: Internet survey
Valid Responses: 2,750 responses on the official survey website
■ Over 70% of those who use generative AI 2-3 times a week feel an improvement in productivity.
When asked whether they felt an improvement in productivity based on the frequency of generative AI use, over 90% of those who use it "daily" or "almost daily" responded that they felt an improvement in productivity.
Furthermore, even among those who use it about 2-3 times a week, over 70% feel an improvement in productivity, suggesting that IT engineers who use generative AI at least twice a week perceive value in its utilization.
Q1: Has your productivity increased before and after using generative AI? *The graph classifies the percentage of people who answered "increased" by the frequency of generative AI use.
■ More than half of companies' non-IT departments have not progressed or are undecided on generative AI adoption.
Regarding the adoption of generative AI in non-IT departments, while 47.5% responded that it "has progressed," the highest percentage, half responded that it "has not progressed" or "cannot say either way," indicating that many people feel challenges in generative AI utilization.
In "Other" responses, many voices were heard such as "challenges in security and compliance remain, hindering company-wide adoption" and "due to security restrictions on inputting confidential information, generative AI cannot be fully utilized," suggesting that risk countermeasures when inputting confidential or personal information into generative AI, and the establishment of internal security governance, are also challenges.
Q2: Do you think the adoption of generative AI in non-IT departments is progressing at your company?
■ Key factors for generative AI adoption are the visualization of effects/uses and the establishment of security governance.
The most frequently cited challenge for company-wide generative AI adoption was "lack of penetration of utilization value within the company," accounting for 45.2%. This was followed by responses such as "don't know the uses," "no trigger for use," and "don't know how to use it," indicating that most challenges stem from the unclear methods and value of generative AI utilization.
Among the free-form responses from those who selected "Other," concerns about "security and information leakage" were most frequently raised. Many voices were heard such as "challenges in security and compliance remain, hindering company-wide adoption" and "due to security restrictions on inputting confidential information, generative AI cannot be fully utilized," suggesting that the risk of inputting confidential or personal information into generative AI is a major factor impeding adoption.
From this, it can be concluded that the visualization of generative AI's effects and uses, and the establishment of security governance, are important factors for generative AI adoption.
Q3: What challenges do you think your company faces in company-wide generative AI adoption? (Figures are rounded values)
■ Generative AI initiatives impact corporate value and recruitment competitiveness.
When asked about promoting generative AI utilization in their affiliated companies, over 80% of IT engineers responded that it "should be promoted more." Furthermore, when considering a job change, approximately 70% of respondents said that a company's generative AI initiatives influence their choice of employer.
From this, it is understood that IT engineers, who face new technologies daily, are highly aware of the importance of generative AI initiatives.
With the aim of building an environment where each IT engineer can work more productively and achieve their ideal work style and career development, SHIFT conducted an "Awareness Survey on Generative AI Utilization in Affiliated Companies" targeting IT engineers nationwide from December 22, 2025, to January 13, 2026.
■ Overview of "Awareness Survey on AI Utilization in Affiliated Companies" Results
・Over 70% of those who use generative AI 2-3 times a week feel an improvement in productivity.
・More than half of companies' non-IT departments have not progressed or are undecided on generative AI adoption.
・Key factors for generative AI adoption are the visualization of effects/uses and the establishment of security governance.
・Generative AI initiatives impact corporate value and recruitment competitiveness.
■ Survey Outline
Survey Name: Awareness Survey on Generative AI in Affiliated Companies
Target: IT engineers residing in Japan
Survey Period: December 22, 2025 (Mon) - January 13, 2026 (Tue)
Survey Method: Internet survey
Valid Responses: 2,750 responses on the official survey website
■ Over 70% of those who use generative AI 2-3 times a week feel an improvement in productivity.
When asked whether they felt an improvement in productivity based on the frequency of generative AI use, over 90% of those who use it "daily" or "almost daily" responded that they felt an improvement in productivity.
Furthermore, even among those who use it about 2-3 times a week, over 70% feel an improvement in productivity, suggesting that IT engineers who use generative AI at least twice a week perceive value in its utilization.
Q1: Has your productivity increased before and after using generative AI? *The graph classifies the percentage of people who answered "increased" by the frequency of generative AI use.
■ More than half of companies' non-IT departments have not progressed or are undecided on generative AI adoption.
Regarding the adoption of generative AI in non-IT departments, while 47.5% responded that it "has progressed," the highest percentage, half responded that it "has not progressed" or "cannot say either way," indicating that many people feel challenges in generative AI utilization.
In "Other" responses, many voices were heard such as "challenges in security and compliance remain, hindering company-wide adoption" and "due to security restrictions on inputting confidential information, generative AI cannot be fully utilized," suggesting that risk countermeasures when inputting confidential or personal information into generative AI, and the establishment of internal security governance, are also challenges.
Q2: Do you think the adoption of generative AI in non-IT departments is progressing at your company?
■ Key factors for generative AI adoption are the visualization of effects/uses and the establishment of security governance.
The most frequently cited challenge for company-wide generative AI adoption was "lack of penetration of utilization value within the company," accounting for 45.2%. This was followed by responses such as "don't know the uses," "no trigger for use," and "don't know how to use it," indicating that most challenges stem from the unclear methods and value of generative AI utilization.
Among the free-form responses from those who selected "Other," concerns about "security and information leakage" were most frequently raised. Many voices were heard such as "challenges in security and compliance remain, hindering company-wide adoption" and "due to security restrictions on inputting confidential information, generative AI cannot be fully utilized," suggesting that the risk of inputting confidential or personal information into generative AI is a major factor impeding adoption.
From this, it can be concluded that the visualization of generative AI's effects and uses, and the establishment of security governance, are important factors for generative AI adoption.
Q3: What challenges do you think your company faces in company-wide generative AI adoption? (Figures are rounded values)
■ Generative AI initiatives impact corporate value and recruitment competitiveness.
When asked about promoting generative AI utilization in their affiliated companies, over 80% of IT engineers responded that it "should be promoted more." Furthermore, when considering a job change, approximately 70% of respondents said that a company's generative AI initiatives influence their choice of employer.
From this, it is understood that IT engineers, who face new technologies daily, are highly aware of the importance of generative AI initiatives.