Why Employees Are Hiding Their AI Use at Work and What Managers Can Do About It

Employee Adoption of AI is Slowing

A recent survey reported by CIO Dive shows that employee adoption of AI is cooling off globally, even as enterprises continue to push their AI initiatives. Nearly half of employees admit to hiding their AI use from managers. The main reasons? Fear of being seen as incompetent, lazy, or cheating.

This creates a real challenge during performance reviews. How can managers tell if employees are relying on their own skills or AI to complete tasks? And how can employees demonstrate they’re capable and ready for more responsibility without raising doubts about AI dependency? Unless an employee’s role explicitly includes AI skills as part of performance criteria, the line between human effort and AI assistance gets blurry.

The Role of HR in Setting Clear Expectations

As AI becomes a standard part of work, HR professionals need to update job descriptions and performance criteria. AI tools should be treated like any essential workplace software—think Excel, Word, or Outlook. Mastery of relevant AI applications must be clearly outlined as part of job expectations.

This means defining which AI tools employees are expected to use, how they should be applied, and how performance will be evaluated. Clear guidelines help reduce hesitation and increase acceptance of AI adoption across the organization.

Overcoming Resistance and Hidden Usage

The Slack survey also points to difficulties enterprises face in scaling AI use cases. Resistance or outright rejection of AI often stems from concerns about job security and performance evaluation. Many employees may continue to use AI “in the shadows,” keeping it a secret to avoid negative judgments.

To truly integrate AI, executives, IT teams, and HR must work together. Aligning managers and employees on AI use standards within job roles is a practical first step. The focus should be on people and processes rather than just technology to make AI adoption successful.

Practical Steps for HR Professionals

• Review and update job descriptions to include AI competencies where relevant.
• Set transparent expectations about how AI tools should be used in daily work.
• Train managers to recognize and assess AI-assisted work fairly.
• Promote open communication to reduce stigma around AI use.
• Encourage AI skills development through targeted training programs.

For HR teams looking to support employees in developing AI skills, resources like Complete AI Training’s latest courses can provide practical learning paths tailored to various job roles.

Ultimately, successful AI adoption depends on clear policies, honest communication, and updated performance criteria. When HR leads the effort to clarify AI expectations, both managers and employees can engage confidently with AI tools, benefiting the entire organization.