AI has officially crossed the frontline threshold: in one year, the number of frontline workers worldwide who use this technology on a regular basis climbed from 51% to 74%. Furthermore, half (47%) think they spend more time managing and directing AI than doing the real work themselves. This is according to the new research "AI at Work 2026", the fourth edition of the annual poll by strategic consulting company Boston Consulting Group (BCG), which is based on 11,749 interviews with executives, managers, and frontline workers conducted in 14 markets including Italy. Italy's adoption rate is lower than the global average: 62% of frontline workers use AI on a regular basis, compared to 74% internationally and 95% in India, the top market. Furthermore, 44% of Italian frontline workers say AI has altered the abilities necessary for their jobs, compared to 96% in India and 60% internationally. The Italian statistics would thus indicate a lag that reflects not only a delay in obtaining technologies, but also a gap in process transformation.