Employees are hiding their AI use from their managers. Here's why

According to new research from Slack, the hype around artificial intelligence (AI) is dwindling. 

"For the first time since generative AI arrived on the scene, sentiment and uptake among desk workers is starting to cool," the report published on Tuesday states. In August, Slack surveyed over 17,000 desk workers in the US, UK, Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland as part of their Workforce Index, which Slack's Workforce Lab publishes periodically.

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Though 99% of the executives surveyed said they'll invest in AI this year (with 97% saying they feel "some level of urgency" to use the tech), employees are no longer as jazzed. Here's why.

Social and professional norms

The survey found that 48% of desk workers felt uncomfortable with their manager knowing they use AI "for common workplace tasks" like messaging, writing code, brainstorming, and data analysis, citing fears of being seen as cheating and appearing lazy or less competent. 

This builds on Slack's earlier research from June, which revealed employees aren't always sure how they're allowed to use AI at their workplace. That concern contributed far less to employees' reticence to admit AI use -- only 21% of respondents cited restrictive company AI policies as a disincentive. 

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"Our research shows that even if AI helped you complete a task more quickly and efficiently, plenty of people wouldn't want their bosses to know they used it," said Christina Janzer, head of Slack's Workforce Lab. "Leaders need to understand that this technology doesn't just exist in a business context of 'Can I get the job done as quickly and effectively as possible,' but in a social context of 'What will people think if they know I used this tool for help?'"

Moreover, the findings indicate an interesting behavioral conundrum in AI adoption which speaks more to its cultural perception than its hopeful (and actual) impact. The report also predicts that Gen Z and Millenials are most comfortable using AI and are at risk of the tech "degrading social connection." Slack found that 81% of AI users ask AI tools for advice instead of a peer or friend. 

Waning excitement and lack of preparation 

From September 2023 to March 2024, global AI adoption had increased to roughly a third of all desk workers, the report explains. But in the last three months, growth has slowed. "France saw just two percentage point growth, from 31% to 33% of desk workers trying AI, and the U.S. saw just a single percentage point growth, from 32% to 33% of desk workers," the report says. 

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Globally, the reported excitement dropped from 47% to 41%, much of which Slack credits to the US. In the last months, workers who reported being enthused about using AI -- dropped from 45% to 36%. The change was even more dramatic in France, where enthusiasm plummeted by 12%, from 53% to 41%. 

In contrast to the dominating narrative around AI's value at work, Slack found that employees want AI to help "refocus their time on meaningful activities, but they suspect that AI could lead to more busy work and increased workload." Many AI companies and businesses implementing agentic systems, copilots, and other forms of AI-powered workflow automation characterize the tech as freeing up time and reducing busywork, as do AI tools geared towards individual productivity. 

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However, proper setup may also be the issue. According to the report, "a persistent lack of training continues to hamper AI uptake; 61% of desk workers have spent less than five hours total learning how to use AI." Most (76%) desk workers urgently want to upskill, reportedly due to industry trends and personal career goals. 

Ironically, Slack found that skill-building and learning are the top activities that "desk workers wish AI would give them more time to focus on."

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In some ways, this shift was expected, considering Gartner's tech hype cycle. But Slack says it identified other reasons excitement is waning, including "uncertainty around and discomfort with AI norms" and "perception that AI is not yet living up to the hype," in addition to lack of upskill training. 

Based on the findings, Slack encourages leaders to make the most of employees' existing motivation by investing in AI training, even in 10-minute increments of what Slack calls "AI microlearning." The report also suggests laying out clear policy guidelines for AI use so employees don't feel lost.