A new report from Resume Now, a leading career and resume service, offers insight into workers’ conflicted feelings about AI and the future of a workplace dominated by AI. With many corporations making bold pronouncements and setting lofty goals regarding the use of AI, the report set out to examine whether the workforce is ready and equipped to deliver on these promises.
The report finds conflicted feelings among workers of all ages, many of whom are simultaneously fearful that AI will negatively affect their mental health and excited about its possible uses in the workplace.
A few highlights of the survey include the following.
- Almost two-thirds of those surveyed (63%) say they have some fears about AI technology.
- Nearly half of women (49%) believe AI use in the workplace will negatively impact work-life balance.
- Approximately 61% of people think that using AI at work will increase burnout.
- At 87%, young workers exhibit the most fear of AI-related burnout.
- More than three-quarters (78%) say they feel somewhat or very positive about using AI at work.
- More than half (62%) believe that AI will positively impact the workplace.
“No technology—not even the proliferation of the smartphone—has caused a disruption like the one AI is poised to create,” says Heather O’Neill, a career expert at Resume Now. “AI has already begun to change the way people across industries do their work, and our research shows that workers have some serious concerns about the impact this technology will have on their work lives, personal lives and mental health. Employers must take swift action through training and education to soothe those fears and create a harmonious workplace. If employers don’t execute this transition well, there will be a major upheaval in the workforce.”
In addition to fears about burnout and job loss, many workers worry that the integration of AI could have a less-than-positive influence on how work fits into their lives. Overall, 43% of people fear AI use will negatively impact work-life balance.
Workers aged 41 and older have the most concerns about the impact AI will have on their work-life balance, with more than half (51%) saying they believe it will have a negative effect. The younger the worker, the less apt they are to feel this way with only 34% of workers 26-40 and 29% of workers aged 25 or younger worried about AI having a negative impact on work-life balance.
Men have higher hopes for AI’s impact on their work-life balance than women. Most men (61%) believe it will have a positive effect, compared to only 46% of women.
Despite concerns about AI’s impact on work-life balance and the potential for burnout, many workers are open to incorporating AI in their workflow and have high hopes for how AI will ultimately impact their experience. Overall, 78% say they feel somewhat or very positive about using AI for work purposes, and 62% of people believe that AI technology will positively impact the workplace. Only 3% reported feeling negatively about the use of AI at work.
Younger workers show the highest levels of positivity about AI use at work, with 51% of workers 25 and under reporting very positive feelings about it and 40% saying they feel somewhat positive about it.
Overall, workers feel quite confident in their ability to use the tool. The study found that 88% of people have at least some confidence in their ability to use AI tools for work-related purposes.
While men and women overall have similar levels of confidence in their ability to leverage AI, men were more likely to label themselves as “very confident” in their ability to use AI tools, at 47%, compared to women (38%).
Younger workers, too, show high levels of confidence about their abilities, with 60% of workers 25 or younger calling themselves very confident compared to 47% of workers aged 26-40 and 35% of workers aged 41 or older.
