By the numbers: Workers want AI training from their employers, ASAP
Workers are seeking a lot more training and guidance on how to actually use AI tools in their jobs — and getting little help from their employers. Instead, they say they’re being expected to teach themselves how to use new technology as it’s introduced with little information or guidance around use cases and how to really operate the tools, according to recent surveys.
Here’s a look at some stats illustrating workers’ current comfort levels with AI use, from surveys conducted by Gallup and Wiley.
- One in five employees said they have begun using new AI tools in their role in the past year (Wiley.)
- Just 6% of workers feel very comfortable using AI in their roles. About 16% are somewhat comfortable, and about a third are very uncomfortable (Gallup.)
- From 2023 to 2024, the number of employees who say they are very prepared to work with AI dropped by six percentage points (Gallup.)
- Some 40% of employees said they are struggling to understand how to integrate AI into their work, 75% said they lack confidence in how to utilize AI (Wiley.)
- Just about a third of managers said they feel equipped to support AI integration (Wiley.)
- Over 90% of Fortune 500 CHROs say their organization has begun using AI to improve business practices (Wiley.)
- Just a third of U.S. employees say their organization has begun integrating AI into their business practices (Wiley.)
The findings also signify an ongoing disconnect between optimistic company leaders and apprehensive staff. In fact those who do use AI in their roles say it’s actually making them less productive.
Almost 80% of workers who use generative AI in their jobs said it has added to their workload and is hampering their productivity, according to an Upwork survey among over 2,500 full-time workers, freelancers and executives. Those workers said they’re spending more time out of their day reviewing AI-generated content, but also teaching themselves how to use the tech.
“What I’ve seen a lot of is people basically turning on Microsoft Copilot, saying ‘Hey, everyone, we’ve now got access to it,’ but they’re not explaining what to do with it,” said Andrew Grill, AI expert and author of Digitally Curious: Your Guide to Navigating the Future of AI and All Things Tech.
“You had to be taught how to use PowerPoint and Excel and Word and Outlook at the office. I think what people are assuming is that everyone needs to use AI, but employees aren’t even playing with the tool to understand what it can do, which means there’s a disconnect,” Grill said.
At the same time, “Leaders tend to have a broader perspective on how AI can benefit the organization, and they tend to use it a little more often in their jobs than the average employee,” said Ben Wigert, director of research and strategy for workforce management at Gallup.
“For instance, companies often focus their AI investments heavily in using AI to improve customer service, marketing and sales, and technology. Leaders tend to have more visibility into these specialized applications of AI. They also have a more nuanced understanding where AI could potentially be used to create efficiencies or innovate across the organization,” Wigert said.
“In contrast, most employees are less aware of AI adoption efforts outside of their own job,” he said.
For employers that are currently offering AI training to staff, many are starting with basic prompt engineering training, Grill said. “Let’s just train you on the sort of questions you should ask it.”
Gallup’s report offers three key strategies for employers that want to get staff more comfortable using AI in their roles:
1. Clearly communicate a plan for integration:
Employees who agree their organization has offered a clear plan are nearly three times more likely to feel prepared to work with AI and over four times more likely to feel comfortable using AI in their role.
“In other words, only a small part of the workforce is self-motivated early adopters. Most employees won’t feel comfortable with AI until leadership communicates a plan,” the report said.
2. Clearly establish guidance for AI use:
Some 75% of workers said their employer does not have straightforward guidance or policies for using AI at work, according to the report.
“This lack of guidance limits employee use of AI technology and creates security risks. By establishing clear guidelines for usage, organizations can empower their workforce to use these technologies effectively and securely, ensuring AI serves as a tool for furthering innovation and efficiency rather than a liability,” the report said.
3. Align training with employees’ needs:
“While experimentation may be part of getting comfortable with AI tools, formal educational experiences are crucial to motivating employees to explore AI tools and use them effectively on their own,” the report said.
Employees who received formal training are almost 90% more likely than those who have not received any training to say that AI will have an extremely positive impact on their individual productivity and efficiency at work.
“Employees will also become more comfortable when they use AI as consumers, from tailoring their dinner and grocery orders to completing their patient information forms. Often technology adoption takes off when it becomes intuitive and makes our lives easier both at work and home,” Wigert said.