AI Overuse Is Eroding Employee Confidence, Report Finds
Nearly four in ten employees believe artificial intelligence tools are making them less intelligent, according to a new survey of 2,500 workers globally. The finding signals a growing cost to organizations that deploy AI without proper safeguards: workers who doubt their own abilities.
GoTo's report found that 39% of employees say AI is eroding their skills. Another 31% report worse social skills since using the tools. The pattern is sharper among Gen Z workers-46% say AI has diminished their intelligence, and 37% cite social skill decline.
Confidence in personal judgment is collapsing. More than a quarter of employees (28%) now trust AI more than themselves. Nearly as many (29%) believe the technology performs their job better than they can.
Pressure to Use Tools Without Guardrails
The problem stems from organizational pressure rather than the tools themselves. Six in ten employees feel pushed to use AI to meet productivity targets. Another 30% work at organizations so dependent on AI that normal operations would halt without it.
This pressure produces what workers call "workslop"-AI output that is inaccurate, out of context, or fabricated. More than half of employees (55%) admit they don't consistently check AI-generated content before using it in high-stakes work. Forty-three percent have used suspicious or error-filled AI output anyway.
The burden falls on reviewers. Fifty-nine percent of employees now spend time checking AI content created by colleagues or direct reports. Two-thirds of these reviewers say the extra work damages their credibility and raises questions about whether AI adds real value.
What HR Leaders Should Do
Organizations need guardrails before expanding AI use. The report recommends three steps: develop policies that keep humans in control of decisions, invest in training tailored to specific job roles, and choose tools designed for your actual workflow.
GoTo CEO Rich Veldran said in a statement: "The goal isn't just smart technology; it's a smarter, more empowered workforce."
For HR teams overseeing this transition, the stakes are clear. Without proper implementation, AI becomes a tool that undermines the very workers expected to use it. For guidance on building these guardrails, HR leaders can explore AI for Human Resources or the AI Learning Path for CHROs, which covers workforce strategy and AI governance.
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