Watercooler chat often serves as a usher for the latest technological tools. In the 1980s, it was probably about the company’s new fax machine. In the 1990s, the dot-com boom was all the rage. Slowly but surely, we have evolved into the era of AI and now everyone can talk about AI. And while everyone considers themselves an expert in using these new tools, not everyone fully understands them.
New research from INTOO shows a disconnect when it comes to AI adoption in the workplace, with workers embracing AI rapidly, but often without clear guidance, transparency, or support. In fact, according to this study conducted by Harris Poll, 52% of employees consider themselves experts in using AI for work-related tasks, and 63% believe that knowledge of AI at work makes them a more valuable employee.
Interestingly, 20% of employees say they are unclear about what is acceptable when using AI for work-related tasks, and 25% say they don’t feel comfortable telling colleagues that they have used AI.
“The obvious risks that come to mind for most people are data security and privacy,” says Mira Greenland, chief revenue officer at INTOO. “But if the use of AI is uncontrolled, employers should also be concerned about the quality of work output. Not because the information may be wrong, but because when employees outsource their work to AI without oversight or guardrails, in-depth analysis and collaboration decreases and impostor syndrome increases.”
“Employees don’t necessarily spend time immersing themselves in organizational problems to find creative solutions; instead, they can assign challenges to ChatGPT or Claude without spending time evaluating the value or relevance of the deliverables,” Greenland added. “And in organizations where the rules are not clear, employees who use AI covertly or discreetly may fear that their work will not be recognized if they are ‘found out’.”
See also: Employees still fear AI. What are CHROs doing about it?
Survey shows workers are also afraid of asking AI for help
In addition to fears of not being recognized, the survey found that 42% of workers say they are embarrassed to ask colleagues for help with new technologies such as AI, which can limit collaboration and building shared skills.
But Greenland says there are ways to alleviate these fears. “One of the most effective ways to overcome that fear is to reframe asking questions as part of a learning process rather than a sign of weakness. The most successful employees are not the ones who never ask; they are the ones who ask before small problems become big problems. It also helps shift an employee’s mindset from ‘help-seeking’ to ‘perspective-seeking,’ validating an approach, or accelerating learning,” she added.
The INTOO report highlights the need for organizations to create environments where employees can use tools such as 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 promoting psychological safety so employees feel comfortable asking questions and sharing their work.
