Nowadays, artificial intelligence (AI) is very demanded by many companies in the United States that want their employees to use it. This sounds modern and exciting, but it’s also causing a lot of stress and confusion. In fact, a study showed that 1 out of every 6 workers pretends to use artificial intelligence even if they actually don’t. They do it just so their bosses think they’re up to date and using the latest technology. So, let’s learn more about this situation.
What is artificial intelligence?
AI is a type of technology that can “think” or do things you might be surprised, from writing and analyzing data to helping with programming or even summarizing documents. Having this in mind, many companies think AI makes work faster and easier resulting in:
- 75% of bosses expect their employees to use AI in some way.
- 50% want it to be used officially, as part of the job.
- Another 25% expect it to be used informally, even if they don’t say it clearly.
That means almost all employees feel they have to use AI, even when they don’t really know how to.
What happens when people don’t feel ready to use it?
Here’s where all trouble starts. Many people feel they don’t really get how AI works, but still feel forced to. This is the main reason of the issue:
- 22% of workers say they use AI even though theydon’t feel confident using it.
- 25% feel overwhelmed or stressed because they have to learn it so quickly.
- Also, 1 out of 4 employees who are expected to use artificial intelligence haven’t received any kind of training. No one has taught them how it works!
Does using AI really help at work?
Even though many companies believe it does, the truth is a bit more complicated. According to the study:
- One third of employees say that learning how to use AI and checking if it works well takes the same amount of time as doing the tasks manually.
- And even more worrying: 2 out of 3 workers accept whatever the AI says without checking if it’s correct. In other words, they trust AI blindly, even though it sometimes makes mistakes.
Lies everywhere
Here’s where the story gets interesting. Some people lie and say they use artificial intelligence even if they don’t, just to keep their bosses happy. Others do use AI, but don’t admit it, because they’re afraid their bosses will think they’re “cheating”.
For example, one large survey found that 48% of workers don’t feel comfortable saying they use AI at work. Many are afraid that this will make their bosses think they’re not working hard enough or that the AI is doing everything for them.
Why is there so much anxiety about AI?
This feeling is called “AI anxiety”, and it’s real. It’s similar to other things thatalso cause stress, like:
- Spending all day on social media.
- Having your inbox full of messages.
- Doing too many video calls in a row.
There are several reasons why AI causes fear:
- Fear of losing their job: many people believe that AI will cause fewer jobs in the future.
- Fear of making mistakes: since not everyone understands how to use it, they’re afraid of doing something wrong.
- Lack of training: many companies want artificial intelligence to be used, but don’t explain how to use it properly.
One expert said that sometimes even the bosses don’t understand how the AI they want to use actually works, which creates even more confusion.
What should employees do?
Some experts say that people should try to learn about artificial intelligence little by little. For example, if a tool like “Copilot” is easy to use, take a few moments to use it and see how it goes. But if a boss asks for something that feels strange or wrong (like using fake images in a documentary), it’s important to talk about it or ask for help.
AI is everywhere
A company CEO said that anxiety about artificial intelligence is as strong as political anxiety. She explained that AI is in all the news, all the time, like when everyone was talking about Trump. That makes many people feel overwhelmed, like AI is everywhere and they can’t escape it.
If this is a stressful situation for you, take a deep breath and try to chill about it. I know it might sound like a joke, but there are apps made with AI that help you calm down.Why don’t you have a go?