Watercooler chitchat often serves as a bellwether for the latest technological tools. In the 1980s, it was likely about the company’s new fax machine. In the ‘90s, the dot-com boom was all the rage. Slowly but surely, we’ve evolved into the age of AI, which is now seemingly all anyone can talk about. And although everyone thinks they are experts in using these new tools, not everyone fully understands them.
A new study from INTOO shows a disconnect when it comes to workplace AI adoption, with workers rapidly embracing AI but often doing so without clear guidance, transparency or support. In fact, the survey, conducted by The Harris Poll, shows that 52% of employees consider themselves experts at using AI for work-related tasks, while 63% think their AI knowledge for work makes them more valuable employees.
Interestingly, 20% of employees say they are unclear about what is acceptable when using AI for work-related tasks and 25% say they would not feel comfortable telling their colleagues they’ve used AI.
“The obvious risks that come to mind for most are data security and privacy,” says Mira Greenland, Chief Revenue Officer at INTOO. “But employers should also be concerned about the quality of work output when AI use isn’t governed. Not because the information may be incorrect, but because when employees outsource their work to AI without oversight or guardrails, deep analysis and collaboration decrease, and imposter syndrome increases.
“Employees aren’t necessarily taking the time to immerse themselves in an organization’s problems to find creative solutions, since they can instead assign the challenge to ChatGPT or Claude without spending time to assess the value and relevance of the output,” Greenland adds. “And in an organization where the rules aren’t clear, employees who secretly or discreetly use AI may develop a fear that they will not be credited for their work if they are ‘found out’.”
See also: Employees still fear AI. What CHROs are doing about it
Workers also fear asking for help with AI, survey says
Not only are there fears of not being credited, 42% of workers also say it would be embarrassing to ask co-workers for help with new technology, including AI, which could limit collaboration and shared skill-building, according to the study.
But Greenland says there are ways to mitigate these fears. “One of the most effective ways to overcome that fear is to reframe asking questions as part of the learning process rather than a sign of weakness. The most successful employees aren’t the ones who never ask questions—they’re the ones who ask before small problems become bigger ones. It can also help to shift their mindset from ‘asking for help’ to ‘seeking perspective,’ validating an approach, or accelerating learning,” she adds.
INTOO’s report emphasizes that organizations must create environments where employees can use tools like AI openly and collaboratively. These goals can be achieved by establishing clear AI guidelines to reduce ambiguity, normalizing transparency by encouraging leaders to model AI usage openly, and fostering psychological safety so employees feel comfortable asking questions and sharing work.
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