A new global study from HR, payroll, and workforce management software provider UKG reveals that many people use AI daily both at home and at work, and it’s already making innumerable jobs easier — employees just don’t know it.

This disconnect underscores the need for greater transparency from companies using AI and more insight into the benefits of prioritising AI at work to help build trust with employees, increase productivity, and improve business outcomes.

UKG surveyed more than 4,000 employees in 10 countries, including C-suite executives and people managers, about their real and perceived use of AI.

Already, over three quarters (78%) of C-suite leaders say their organisation is using AI today.

Executives are estimating that half (56%) of their workforce is directly using AI to automate or augment job tasks.

Despite these admittances from their higher-ups, only 42% of employees globally think they are using AI-powered devices in their day-to-day work.

Outside of work, just 44% of employees globally believe they interact with AI in their personal lives, even though at least 90% say they have used at least one application featuring AI technology.

These include maps and navigation (66%), predictive product/entertainment suggestions, such as in Netflix and Spotify (50%), text editors and autocorrect (47%), virtual home assistants, such as Alexa and Google Assistant (46%), or intelligent chatbots (31%).

Employees Want to Embrace AI

Despite prevailing Hollywood depictions of AI systems taking over humans, and experts saying AI advances herald doom, more and more employees say they are open to using AI at work – with some critical caveats.

The UKG study found that three out of four employees would be more accepting/excited about AI if their company was more transparent about the direct ways AI could improve their workflow (78%), and how their organisation is using AI (75%).

Greater transparency around AI at work paves the way for increased trust among employees and companies, which is integral to workplace culture.

It is also what workers across the UK are asking for, by calling for direct government legislation to enforce transparency in workplace uses of AI.

The Trade Union Congress (TUC), the largest trade union in the UK, has called for regulations of AI to mitigate bias and and ensure employees are made aware of when AI systems are in use for decision-making.

“AI is here, and it’s already providing some amazing benefits for the workforce — from automating tedious tasks to answering common questions to helping crunch millions of data points in mere seconds. However, 54% of people say they have ‘no idea’ how their company is using AI, and that lack of transparency is a real problem,” said Dan Schawbel, managing partner at the firm Workplace Intelligence, which partnered with UKG for the study.

“Organisations must be more upfront about how they’re using AI in the workplace, if they want a competitive advantage and want to earn, and keep, the trust of their employees.”

Employees expect to see many benefits from embracing AI technology in their job, with 63% saying it will increase their engagement/job satisfaction, 55% saying it will improve their willingness to go above and beyond, and 49% saying it will increase their desire to stay with their company long-term.

Around half (48%) say it will increase their trust in their company and leadership, with over half (54%) saying it will improve their overall happiness.

Executives are Onboard with AI

Executives are recognising the advantages of AI at work, with companies and employees embracing the technology already noticing the difference it can make.

Around three in four people using AI at work say that it makes them more efficient and productive at work, that it makes it possible for them to spend more time on meaningful tasks, and that it increases the quality or accuracy of their work.

Moreover, 71% of C-suite leaders say increasing/advancing their use of AI is either a high or medium priority for their organisation, citing the competitive advantage AI can bring. In fact, 62% of executives say they are at least slightly concerned that their company is not moving fast enough with AI.

There’s little question in executives’ minds that AI is good for business and for people, but they are split on who it might be better for.

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51% of C-suit executives say that their employees have benefitted the most via simplified work, and 49% say that companies have benefitted the most through increased financial returns.

“Many businesses are finally realising what great workplaces have known for a long time now: AI, when used ethically, responsibly, and transparently, has the potential to be everyone’s favourite co-worker,” said Hugo Sarrazin, chief product and technology officer at UKG.

“AI is nothing new — we’ve been using AI at UKG since 2015 to help businesses achieve better outcomes. What is new is the transformational potential of generative AI to reshape employee experiences and provide timely, insightful feedback and recommendations with context that empower companies to create a great place to work for all people.”

What About the Future?

Executives at companies using AI today estimate that 70% of their total workforce will use AI to automate or augment some of their job tasks by 2027, according to the UKG study.

Even executives at companies not using AI today estimate that a fifth (20%) of their workforce will use AI to automate or augment some of their job tasks within the next five years.