It’s been just over two years since generative AI (GenAI) burst onto the scene, forever changing the way we work. From automating tasks to redefining entire roles, GenAI is proving to be more than just another tech trend — it’s here to stay. But how do employees really feel about it?

To find out, we conducted a field study with 246 employees across industries in the U.S. and U.K. The goal? To explore their lived experiences with GenAI at work: what’s working, what’s worrying, and what needs to change. Then, we took those findings to a live webinar with workplace experts to dive even deeper.

Here’s what we learned.

GenAI Adoption: It’s Everywhere, but Unevenly Distributed

GenAI use in the workplace is widespread: 95% of employees surveyed use GenAI at least once a month, and a surprising 42% use it daily. But not everyone has the same access:

Senior leaders are the biggest users.

62% of C-suite and senior managers use GenAI daily, compared to just 31% of non-management employees.

Some industries are leaning in more than others.

Tech and financial services are leading the charge, while education and government are lagging behind.

Organizations aren’t keeping up.

Only 21% of companies have a structured GenAI adoption plan. In contrast, 27% of employees said they’re expected to figure it out on their own.

“The data is telling us something really critical. Most organizations are investing in some capacity in this type of technology, but they don’t have a structured approach to GenAI adoption.” - Hara Gavriloglou, Future of Work Leader

Without clear training and support, employees are left to navigate this powerful tool without guardrails, which brings us to their biggest concerns.

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The Double-Edged Sword: Benefits vs. Risks

Employees are experiencing real benefits from GenAI. 

The top reasons they use it include:

• Saving time & increasing efficiency (113 mentions)
• Boosting productivity (51 mentions)
• Enhancing creativity & brainstorming (35 mentions)
• Reducing errors & improving accuracy (19 mentions)

One employee participant summed it up best:

“[GenAI] automates repetitive tasks like data entry, report generation, and email drafting. Speeds up research and content creation, saving time for strategic work.”

But despite these positives, concerns loom large. 

The biggest worries include:

• Data privacy & security risks (51 mentions)
• Misinformation & AI “hallucinations” (52 mentions)
• Over-reliance on AI, leading to reduced critical thinking (21 mentions)
• Potential job displacement (14 mentions)

“Using GenAI is somewhat addictive and can make a person not use their mind to its full potential.” – Gen Z frontline manager

Employees recognize the power of GenAI, but they also want more training, better guidelines, and clear ethical standards from their organizations.

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So, What’s Next? Employees Want…

When we asked employees what would make GenAI adoption more successful, they overwhelmingly agreed on four things:

1. Training and upskilling

Employees want structured learning, not just access to tools.

2. Clear ethical guidelines

What’s okay? What’s off-limits? Employees need clarity.

3. Practical applications and use cases

Help them understand when, where, and how to use GenAI effectively.

4. A continuous learning approach

GenAI is evolving fast, and organizations need to keep up. “If we’re not getting ahead of this, we know that work is already being reshaped—but on its own terms,” Gavriloglou said.

Organizations that take a strategic, human-centric approach to GenAI adoption will be the ones that thrive.

Is GenAI an Opportunity or a Threat?

Here’s the bottom line: Employees are excited about GenAI, but they’re also worried. Without a clear adoption strategy, companies risk falling behind — or worse, causing confusion and frustration among their workforce.

“So I think the biggest thing that leaders can do is act more decisively quickly in terms of setting the mission and vision and helping employees understand what it is that the organization wants to do with this.” - Poornima Sarkar, PhD, Director of People Analytics, Fidelity

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Want to dive deeper? 

Download the full GenAI at Work Insights Report and watch the webinar on-demand to explore the findings in more detail.

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