Workers feel pressure to use AI and show off to bosses — even when it slows them down
Share this article
Join the conversation
- Half of workers use AI to appease their bosses even when it’s not helping
- One in three say they’ve held back negative feedback about AI
- AI ROI figures are being skewed because of these false figures
Half (52%) of workers admit to having used AI despite believing they could complete the same task faster without it.
This comes as two in three (63%) workers say their employers now actively encourage or expect AI use for at least some tasks, with as many as 39% even highlighting their AI use to managers despite believing it didn’t help their outcome.
The data from JobAssist ultimately points toward workers seeing AI use as a box-ticking exercise and something that’s beneficial to their professional reputation and potentially career prospects – even though they don’t see it as something that can always help.
Latest Videos FromTechRadar
Workers are boasting about their AI use to keep managers happy
Furthermore, nearly a third (31%) admitted to continuing using AI even after deciding it had not improved speed or quality, implying that workers might be worried that something could happen if they don’t demonstrate a use of it.
A similar number (34%) also held their hands up to avoiding negative feedback around AI given that leadership encourages its adoption.
“If employees hesitate to report disappointing results, managers may receive an overly favorable account of how well their AI initiatives are working,” the report summarizes, urging workers to be more open and honest about when they find AI to be most effective.
For businesses, false adoption figures could mean that AI ROI might be overstates. But with employers relying on these statistics to guide their AI strategies, it could mean that they end up wasting money investing in the wrong areas.
Sign up to the TechRadar Pro newsletter to get all the top news, opinion, features and guidance your business needs to succeed!
“Companies can measure whether employees are using AI, but those measurements cannot establish whether the technology is improving their work,” JobAssist concludes.

Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds.
Share this article Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter Half of workers use AI to appease their bosses even when it’s not helping One in three say they’ve held back negative feedback about AI AI ROI figures are…
Recent Posts
Archives
- November 2026
- October 2026
- September 2026
- August 2026
- July 2026
- June 2026
- May 2026
- April 2026
- March 2026
- February 2026
- January 2026
- December 2025
- November 2025
- October 2025
- September 2025
- August 2025
- July 2025
- June 2025
- May 2025
- April 2025
- March 2025
- February 2025
- January 2025
- December 2024
- November 2024
- October 2024
- September 2024
- August 2024
- July 2024
- June 2024
- May 2024
- April 2024
- March 2024
- February 2024
- January 2024
- December 2023
- November 2023