As AI reshapes the workplace, employees are adapting, but they’re also asking important questions. Explore what the latest data reveals about employee capabilities, career expectations, and the growing complexity of assessing AI-driven impact.

While employees are optimistic about AI, concerns around misuse of personal information have climbed over the past year. Workers now believe leaders understand AI risks and opportunities (up 29% from 2024 to 2025), but communication gaps persist.


The takeaway: To sustain optimism and build deeper trust, leaders must proactively address employee concerns. Clear, targeted communication about AI safeguards and ethical use, alongside inclusive dialogue, will be essential to reassure teams and foster a culture of AI transparency and confidence.

Leaders are more eager to adopt AI agents than entry-level employees, but when people understand how AI is reshaping their roles, their sense of purpose grows, fueling loyalty. In fact, 99% of those who feel purposeful everyday plan to stay, compared to just 53% who don’t. Additionally, employees who are involved in redesigning their work alongside AI report significantly higher trust in their employer’s use of AI.

The takeaway: To build meaningful AI strategies, organizations must invite employees to contribute their expertise—especially around how AI integrates into their daily work and long-term career paths. When employees are empowered to shape this transformation, they can build the skills and strategic mindset needed to influence how AI evolves within their teams and roles.

77% of employees say AI enables them to perform tasks they couldn’t do before, but only 36% feel confident measuring their increased impact. Employees are embracing AI as a tool to enhance their performance and expand their skillsets. Employees report saving an average of 2 hours per day thanks to AI. Employees are not just doing more, they’re doing things they couldn’t do before.



The takeaway: To help people thrive in an AI-enabled workplace, organizations need better ways to define and measure high-impact work. That means building frameworks that track efficiency, ROI, and evolving skill dynamics, while ensuring employees can focus their time and energy where they add the greatest value.

More employees are tying retention to career progression, and many want employers to recognize and invest in the value of their in-demand skills. While 82% believe their skills are in high demand, retention is at risk.

The takeaway: Organizations must create clear, AI-supported career paths that align skill development with business goals. Employees should take a lead role in understanding business priorities and mapping their skills to evolving needs.

People trust AI for logistics, automation, training, and goal tracking, but want humans for coaching, succession planning, career pathing, and exit/offboarding conversations. Employees value AI for its speed, neutrality, and 24/7 availability, but they rely on human connection to provide context, empathy, and trust—especially in moments that shape their careers.



The takeaway: As AI takes on more routine and logistical tasks, the human role becomes even more critical. Organizations must invest in developing leaders and managers who can bring empathy, context, and trust to the moments that matter most, from coaching to career transitions.

Report respondents (see all respondent criteria in the report) 

By country: Argentina (1k); Australia (2k); Belgium (475); Brazil; Canada (1k); China (1620); Denmark (450); Finland (435); France (2k); Germany (2K); Greece (500); India (2k); Italy (2k); Japan (2k); Mexico (990); The Netherlands (500); Norway (475); Peru (1k); Poland (550); Portugal (935); Romania (520); Singapore (800); Slovenia (370); Spain (2k); Sweden (435); Switzerland(1k); Thailand (930); Turkey (550); UK & Ireland (2.2k); USA (5.5k) 

By Industry: Aerospace & defense (776); Consumer goods, FMCG, retail and e-commerce, supply chain (6391); Energy, clean tech & utilities (1793); Financial services, insurance, legal and professional services (10215); Life sciences & healthcare (3800); Technology (4168); Transportation, mobility, automotive, manufacturing and logistics (9817)