Can AI effectively replace a human teammate? Researchers from Harvard, Wharton, Procter & Gamble and other institutions did an experiment to find out. They asked 776 professionals from P&G to come up with new product ideas and measured their performance. Half used artificial intelligence (AI) and the other half didn’t. The results? “AI significantly enhances performance: Individuals with AI matched the performance of teams without AI, demonstrating that AI can effectively replicate certain benefits of human collaboration,” the researchers said in a March 2025 research paper. “Moreover, AI breaks down functional silos.” When it comes to effectiveness, employees and teams using AI were also three times more likely to suggest product ideas in the top 10% of solutions, based on a ranking by human experts. This can translate to real revenues. The paper’s findings carry implications for optimal team sizes and team make-up at organizations. It could reshape traditional teamwork and redefine how expertise is shared in the workplace. The study, “The Cybernetic Teammate,” conducted workshops among P&G professionals from May to July 2024. The authors measured performance gains, broadening of expertise and level of social engagement.

Full research : A new study found AI can replicate the collaborative benefits of human teams, with individuals using AI performing as well as two-person teams without it.