AI Helps Workers Most When Paired With Experience, New Study Finds

BALTIMORE, Aug. 24, 2026 — As companies race to integrate artificial intelligence into the workplace, new research suggests workers benefit most when AI is paired with experience rather than treated as a replacement for it.

The study, "Human-Algorithm Collaboration in Gig Work: The Role of Experience, Skill Level, and Task Complexity," published in Information Systems Research, found that AI-powered guidance improved productivity, service quality and operational flexibility among Instacart shoppers. The researchers also found that worker experience played a critical role in determining who benefited most from the technology.

Researchers conducted a randomized controlled field experiment involving nearly 6,000 Instacart shoppers across approximately 160 grocery stores in the United States. Participants were randomly assigned to receive AI-powered navigation and product-location recommendations while completing customer orders, allowing researchers to measure the technology's impact under real-world working conditions.

Compared with workers who did not receive AI guidance, shoppers using the technology experienced:

• A 3.83% reduction in refund rates, improving order quality.
• A 3.29% improvement in picking speed.
• A 3.16% increase in productivity.
• A 32.5% increase in cross-store shopping, giving workers greater flexibility to accept available work.

The researchers also found that experience influenced how effectively workers used the technology.

Less experienced shoppers relied more heavily on the AI system but did not consistently achieve better outcomes. More experienced workers were better able to combine AI recommendations with their own judgment, particularly during more complex shopping trips and periods of heavier workload.

"There's a growing assumption that AI levels the playing field by making expertise less important," said author Benjamin Knight researcher at Maplebear Inc. "Our findings suggest something different. AI is most effective when workers have enough experience to understand when to trust its recommendations and when to rely on their own judgment."

The findings suggest organizations may realize greater value from workplace AI by pairing technological investments with employee development and training.

"Organizations often focus on deploying better AI," said Dmitry Mitrofanov, co-author of the study and assistant professor of operations management at Boston College. "Our findings suggest they should place equal emphasis on developing workers who know how to use it effectively. Technology and human experience work best together."

The implications extend beyond grocery delivery. Companies across retail, logistics, healthcare, customer service and other industries are increasingly deploying AI tools to support frontline workers. The study suggests the greatest benefits may come when those tools complement human expertise rather than attempt to replace it.

"AI has enormous potential to improve productivity, but it isn't a substitute for human expertise," said Serguei Netessine, co-author of the study and professor at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. "Organizations that combine advanced technology with investments in worker development will be better positioned to realize AI's full value."

Read the full study here.

About INFORMS and Information Systems Research 

INFORMS is the world’s largest association for professionals and students in operations research, AI, analytics, data science, and related disciplines, serving as a global authority in advancing cutting-edge practices and fostering an interdisciplinary community of innovation. Information Systems Research, an INFORMS journal, focuses on the utilization of information technology to enhance organizational efficiency. INFORMS helps its members advance research and practice through cutting-edge journals, conferences, and resources. Learn more at www.informs.org or @informs. 

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