A brand new report requested 1,200 C-suite executives and 1,200 workers throughout the U.S., U.Ok., Eire, Benelux, France and Germany about utilizing AI at work. Hidden within the responses are a number of spots the place HR leaders would possibly face headwinds as a result of the widespread outlook may not match the truth on the bottom.
Listed here are 5 AI-adoption myths gleaned from AI platform Author’s 2026 AI Adoption within the Enterprise survey, carried out in partnership with Office Intelligence.
‘Our workers really feel secure talking up about AI issues.’
HR and compliance leaders are likely to deal with governance frameworks and knowledge privateness when fascinated with AI danger. That’s vital, in fact, however many managers and leaders additionally anticipate that workers will say one thing if an AI device produces a harmful or biased outcome. The truth is, the examine revealed that 90% of executives consider workers really feel secure reporting unethical AI behaviors with out concern of reprisal.
Nonetheless, that’s largely inaccurate. The survey discovered 28% of workers have already seen an AI device produce a outcome that was dangerously improper, unethical or biased. But, 30% say they wouldn’t really feel secure reporting it, as a result of they’re frightened about retaliation.
‘Gen Z will work out AI. They’re digital natives.’
The idea that youthful employees will naturally embrace AI and wish much less help is a typical shortcut in adoption planning.
However the knowledge suggests that is flawed pondering. The analysis discovered that Gen Z workers are the most certainly to work towards their firm’s AI technique. They aren’t simply ignoring or denying enterprise efforts, as a result of 44% of Gen Z employees admit to sabotaging AI in not less than a technique, in comparison with 29% of employees total. Types of sabotage embrace deliberately producing low-quality outputs to make AI look ineffective and tampering with efficiency metrics.
Why would somebody do this? Thirty % say they don’t need AI to take over their job. Twenty-six % say it has diminished their worth or creativity. HR leaders ought to think about that, for early-career employees whose skilled id is tied to skill-building and inventive contribution, AI could appear able to steal their alternatives.
‘Our managers are dealing with adoption.’
HR and C-suite leaders hope that managers are there to bridge the hole between workers and enterprise AI adoption efforts. The info means that’s largely wishful pondering.
Simply 35% of workers say their supervisor is an AI champion. Practically 60% say their supervisor is open to AI however gives minimal path. And 55% of workers (64% amongst Gen Z) say they know extra about utilizing AI for his or her job than their supervisor does.
Managers are the powerhouse that turns technique into each day work. Once they lack information and confidence, the hole between what executives announce and what workers do turns into extra apparent. In accordance with the analysis, worker confidence of their firm’s AI technique fell from 47% in 2025 to 31% in 2026. And there’s one other manager-related sticking level: 75% of workers say they’d belief AI over their supervisor for not less than one process.
‘We now have an AI technique, so adoption packages will work.’
Contemplating all of the work HR groups have put into AI upskilling and workforce planning round new expertise, this one stings a bit. Seventy-five % of C-suite respondents say their firm’s AI technique is “extra for present” than for precise inside steerage.
They cite PR and investor relations as key motivators to creating a method within the first place. Thirty-nine % admit they don’t have any formal plan to drive income from these instruments, and practically 70% say that whereas that basis is lacking, their firm is already doing layoffs tied to AI.
‘Our efficiency system can deal with this.’
In accordance with the report, “AI super-users” save practically 9 hours per week, in comparison with two hours for primary customers, and are about 3X extra prone to have acquired each a promotion and a elevate up to now yr. In the meantime, 43% of workers say they’re anticipated to do the work of multiple individual due to AI productiveness good points, and 95% of the C-suite say roles and buildings are already altering.
The report calls this rigidity between super-users and laggards a “two-tired workforce,” with the C-suite actively cultivating these best-in-class AI utilizers. Those that don’t come alongside for the experience will doubtless be left behind, say the researchers, as 60% of surveyed execs say they’re planning layoffs for workers who “can’t or received’t use AI.”
