Nearly half of employees have used AI tools without consulting their manager first, a new study has revealed. According to a survey from Gusto, titled Is AI Coming for My Job?, 45% of US workers have used tools such as ChatGPT at work without first seeking the permission of their manager. The majority of people in this demographic are Gen Z and tech workers.
Elsewhere, the study finds that four out of five workers use AI at work, and more than one-third (36%) consider the technology “essential” for carrying out their day-to-day operations. With other studies revealing that the technology boosts productivity for the majority of users, this is unsurprising. What is interesting, however, is that 47% of employees have taken actions to safeguard their futures against the threat of AI, suggesting an ambivalence at the heart of AI usage.
The research provides more evidence that the AI revolution is already underway — but that the technology is both a source of inspiration and anxiety for employees.
Study: 45% of Employees Use AI Without Telling Their Manager
A new study from Gusto has revealed that nearly half of US workers have used AI tools at work without telling their manager. The company surveyed 1,000 employees from different industries on their workplace AI habits, and found that almost half of them (45%) had secretly made use of the tech to carry out their everyday business. Reportedly, the majority of these secret AI users are Gen Z and tech workers.
By contrast, just over one-quarter (26%) of respondents confirmed that their companies had strict AI policies in place, while just under (24%) made their own decisions regarding the technology due to a lack of official guidance.
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These findings suggest that businesses are currently struggling to keep pace with AI adoption, which is accelerating at a rapid rate. Rather than sitting still, meanwhile, US employees are leveraging the possibilities of this fledgling technology — even if that means going behind their managers’ backs.
AI in the workplace
Our own Technology in the Workplace report from earlier in the year raised alarms about AI use. We found that 35% of companies that we spoke to didn’t regulate AI usage, and 33% offered no training of AI tools, meaning that a lack of oversight could result in poor AI practice.
We also uncovered how much companies are spending on AI, how important senior leaders think the tech is, and the ROI that companies reported came from using AI.
Other Findings Shed Light on Employees’ AI Dilemma
Elsewhere, the study observes some fascinating workplace behaviors where AI is concerned. For instance, a significant portion of employees have either exaggerated or overstated their proficiency with AI tools (25%), with a further 13% considering exaggerating them, before changing their minds. The majority of respondents, however, are transparent about their AI skills (32%).
In terms of how important AI is to the workforce of today, the overwhelming majority of respondents admits to at least some dependence on the technology. 36% of employees claim that it’s “essential” for everyday tasks, with an additional 36% using it regularly for “certain things.” Almost one-quarter (23%) state that work would be “noticeably harder” without it, and 9% rely on AI “heavily” to keep up with the demands on the modern workplace.
Largely, employees are uncertain over whether or not to disclose their use of AI and to what extent they rely upon it. According to the study, 24% of users mention AI helped “but don’t go into detail,” and a further 24% “adjust what they say depending on the situation.” Strikingly, almost one-fifth (19%) don’t mention AI at all, and 3% are unsure how to talk about it.
Most Workers Need AI, but Fear Its Potential
Interestingly, the study suggests that most employees have an ambivalent attitude towards AI. While the majority readily admits to using it as a key workplace tool, a significant portion also regards the technology as a significant source of anxiety.
As per the findings, nearly half of workers (47%) have already taken steps to safeguard themselves against the looming threat of AI, which is viewed by some as an existential threat. In recent months, stories of companies replacing their workers with the tech have proliferated, including the likes of Duolingo and IBM.
Far from slowing down, this trend will only increase year-on-year as more and more companies begin to leverage AI tools. Workers everywhere are under pressure to adapt — or face getting left behind.
