Corporate leaders are putting tremendous pressure on workers to incorporate artificial intelligence into their workflow—often without a clear understanding of its capabilities or impact. As a result, some employees are simply faking their usage of AI.
According to a new report by Vancouver-based software firm Visier, nearly half of workers (48%) said they have “exaggerated their AI usage or expertise to colleagues or leadership” to keep up with expectations.
Visier polled 1,000 full-time workers in the United States—across healthcare, finance, human resources, and other domains—about how they use AI and their opinion on their firm’s AI strategy.
The survey found that while AI has had a real impact on many workers—54% of respondents said their roles or careers had “significantly changed due to AI in the past two years”—the nature of its impact varied widely from worker to worker. Some said AI has improved their job performance and satisfaction, while others reported that its impact was mostly negative.
Anxiety and uncertainty caused by AI were widespread. Nearly 60% said they are unsure of their employer’s plan to address changes brought on by AI, and 45% said they felt pressured to use AI “even when they’re not confident in how to use it effectively.”
The pressure to use AI leads some workers to pretend they are using it even when they aren’t, believing that showing enthusiasm for AI matters just as much (or more than) getting better results.
Indeed, the report concludes that the underlying driver of “performative AI use” is a lack of trust in leadership. Nearly a third (32%) of respondents told Visier they want “more AI training and upskilling opportunities,” while 31% called for “greater transparency” on AI-related issues.
Simply telling workers to “have AI do it” isn’t going to cut it—they must be told how. Along with resisting the pull of AI FOMO, leaders should listen to employees’ concerns, stay transparent about how AI might affect their work, and provide the necessary training.
“By providing employees with opportunities to upskill, learn, and share knowledge among colleagues, leaders can proactively prevent performative AI behaviors and help alleviate workforce anxiety,” the report states.