- Half of workers use AI to appease their bosses even when it's not helping
- One in three say they've held back negative feedback about AI
- AI ROI figures are being skewed because of these false figures
Half (52%) of workers admit to having used AI despite believing they could complete the same task faster without it.
This comes as two in three (63%) workers say their employers now actively encourage or expect AI use for at least some tasks, with as many as 39% even highlighting their AI use to managers despite believing it didn't help their outcome.
The data from JobAssist ultimately points toward workers seeing AI use as a box-ticking exercise and something that's beneficial to their professional reputation and potentially career prospects – even though they don't see it as something that can always help.
Workers are boasting about their AI use to keep managers happy
Furthermore, nearly a third (31%) admitted to continuing using AI even after deciding it had not improved speed or quality, implying that workers might be worried that something could happen if they don't demonstrate a use of it.
A similar number (34%) also held their hands up to avoiding negative feedback around AI given that leadership encourages its adoption.
"If employees hesitate to report disappointing results, managers may receive an overly favorable account of how well their AI initiatives are working," the report summarizes, urging workers to be more open and honest about when they find AI to be most effective.
For businesses, false adoption figures could mean that AI ROI might be overstates. But with employers relying on these statistics to guide their AI strategies, it could mean that they end up wasting money investing in the wrong areas.
"Companies can measure whether employees are using AI, but those measurements cannot establish whether the technology is improving their work," JobAssist concludes.