Trust in AI as a Work Partner Is Still Evolving, Report Finds

A new survey that looks at employee expectations and trends in how they are interacting with artificial intelligence (AI) has found that employees are becoming more comfortable with AI but see it primarily as an aid, rather than a part of management.

The 2024 Employee Experience Trends Report from Qualtrics asked nearly 37,000 employees across 32 countries about their work, and collected data on new-job attitudes, remote work, and the interaction with AI.

AI as an assistant, not an evaluator

The Qualtrics survey found that there were still trust issues with some AI applications—and that American workers lagged behind European and Asian workers in their comfort with AI.

“Workers are more comfortable with AI in the workplace when they have a sense of control over it, such as for writing tasks (61% of employees would use AI for this) or as a personal assistant (51% of employees), than in higher-stakes situations like performance evaluations (37%) or hiring decisions (29%),” the company said in a statement.

The study noted that there was more comfort in the evaluation area among people who identify as transgender or nonbinary; more of those those respondents said they were comfortable with AI for performance appraisals (46%) or job interviews (35%) than the global average.

“The chief concern amongst the workforce is their roles being replaced, or their experience being controlled,” the report said.

The survey found that 53% of employees who self-described as engaged reported being comfortable in working with AI, and only 39% of disengaged employees said they were comfortable with AI. Interestingly, there was a gap in management attitudes as well: 65% of C-suite workers said they were conformable with AI, versus 46% of managers.

“Generally, the more positive you feel about your organization – the more trust you have in it – and the more senior your role, the more likely you are to believe that your organization will use AI for your benefit,” said Sarah Marrs, MSc, Director of EX Strategy Execution. “You also trust that AI will make you more productive and efficient at your job.”

Koma Gandy, the VP of Learning and Business, at Skillsoft, an e-learning platform, said the Qualtrics findings suggest that workforce as a whole still has a learning curve ahead of it with AI and the applications of that technology in the workplace.

“Many Americans may not understand how AI applies to their job roles which contributes to hesitation and feelings of fear, especially among individual contributors who may feel they have more to lose and less to gain by incorporating AI into their day-to-day responsibilities,” she said.

“More education about what AI is—and isn’t—is critical to ensure that AI tools and capabilities are adopted with a strategic mindset, support organizational goals, and contribute to empowering and inspiring employees to do their best work. We also know the European Union is often on the front foot with respect to regulation around emerging technologies, so perhaps as policy conversations catch up in the US, more Americans will be open to exploring how AI can be responsibly incorporated into their professional lives.”

Other findings on new workers, remote work

Other findings from the survey include a suggestion that the new-job honeymoon phase is over among American workers—with new hires showing lower levels of engagement, wellbeing, and inclusion when compared to employees who have been with their companies longer. Engagement is becoming more of a challenge, the study said, with 39% of employees who have been with a company for less than six months saying that they plan to leave within the next 12 months, a 6-point increase from last year. “Some are even ‘boomeranging’ back to a previous job,” the report said.

“It’s not enough to get great talent in the door,” said Qualtrics Chief Workplace Psychologist Dr. Benjamin Granger. “The first several months are when employees form first impressions of working at a company, and first impressions are difficult to change. Hiring and onboarding are inextricably linked experiences that need a common thread tying them together. Otherwise, organizations run the risk of early and costly turnover.”

Another area getting a lot of attention is the issue of remote work—and like other studies, this survey found a Goldilocks quality to onsite vs. remote work—those who spend a few days in the office, but not the whole work week, report being more engaged.

“Hybrid models give companies a good way to balance individual and organizational needs, giving employees flexibility while making time for essential in-person collaboration,” said Granger. “Still, a one-size-fits-all approach may not be the best strategy, and leaders would be wise to build in flexibility within their work location policies and bring people together with purpose.”