One in four American employees would not feel comfortable telling colleagues they used artificial intelligence (AI) to finish a work task, a new INTOO and Harris Poll survey shows.
The study, released this month, also found that 42 percent of workers consider it embarrassing to ask coworkers for help with new technology, including AI tools. The survey polled 1,158 full and part time employees across the United States between March 31 and April 2.
This sits against high self-reported confidence with the technology. More than half of respondents, 52 percent, described themselves as experts at using AI for work tasks, while 63 percent believe their AI knowledge makes them more valuable employees. One in five, however, said they remain unclear about what is acceptable at their workplace when using the technology.
INTOO labels the trend “silent AI usage,” describing it as informal experimentation that happens outside of any shared training, policy, or supervisory visibility.
A generational paradox stood out in the findings. Younger workers aged 18 to 34 were most likely to feel confident with AI at 63 percent, compared with 39 percent of those 45 and older. Yet 55 percent of younger respondents also said they would feel embarrassed asking colleagues for help with new technology, against 35 percent of workers aged 35 and above.
On job security, 34 percent of workers fear AI could replace their roles within two years, although 59 percent said they are not concerned.
“This isn’t a technology gap; it’s a culture gap,” said Mira Greenland, Chief Revenue Officer at INTOO.
The outplacement and career development firm urged companies to introduce clear, practical AI guidelines, encourage leaders to model AI use openly, and build psychological safety so employees feel free to ask questions. The findings carry a margin of error of plus or minus 3.6 percentage points at a 95 percent confidence level.
The report adds to a growing body of research charting a widening gap between rapid AI rollout in corporate settings and the cultural readiness of workforces to use the tools transparently.
