- 28% of workers use AI regularly, but only 16% have been trained by their employers
- About half have never been heard about how they use artificial intelligence in their specific role
- This discrepancy could ultimately lead to shadow AI adoption and security concerns
New research from Nexthink has revealed that while 28% of US workers now use artificial intelligence at work several times a week, only about half of them (16%) have received AI training from their employers.
But as technology becomes more and more integrated into the workplace, nearly two in five (38%) workers are now demanding more AI training support from their employers.
Aside from training, employees also complain about their organization’s broader AI strategy, noting that general AI strategies don’t address the specific needs of job roles.
More than half (56%) of workers surveyed noted that they have never been consulted by their company about how AI is integrated into their AI roles. Separately, other studies have revealed how inappropriate tool implementation ultimately leads to workers taking matters into their own hands, using unapproved AI tools, and putting sensitive company information at risk in personal AI environments.
Nexthink CTO Vedant Sampath emphasized the importance of “knowing where it works, where it creates friction, and where the gaps in adoption actually are.”
With this widespread dissatisfaction, only 9% of workers turn to their employers for AI advice. Social media (31%), news articles (27%) and friends and family (21%) are far more likely to deliver.
“When adoption outpaces training and management by this margin, organizations have no clear path to AI value,” Sampath added. “Some employees pull ahead while others fall behind, and the security risks of uncontrolled AI use go undetected.”
Looking ahead, companies need to recognize employee appetite for AI tools and move faster, meeting them where they are with enterprise-grade versions of the tools proven to work. And while the jury is still out on whether it is the employer’s or the employee’s responsibility to upskill in AI, a clear requirement provides a great opportunity for companies to take up the narrative.
Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews and opinions in your feeds.
