Artificial intelligence (AI) has revolutionized countless workplaces since becoming mainstream. AI career tool Kickresume conducted a comprehensive survey involving 1,483 employees to gauge their sentiments towards this emerging technology and its impact on their professional lives. The findings spotlight the perspectives of individuals across various industries regarding AI tools in the workplace.
AI’s Popularity and Potential Job Threats
The survey reveals that while AI enjoys significant popularity, it also poses potential job threats. A January report from the World Economic Forum indicated that 41% of employers plan to downsize their workforce due to AI’s capability to perform many tasks traditionally handled by humans. To understand the ramifications of this shift, Kickresume explored the number of individuals who have lost their jobs due to AI. Remarkably, 10% of respondents reported knowing someone affected, while 11% indicated that they themselves had been impacted, suggesting that nearly one in five professionals has witnessed AI’s negative consequences. Conversely, 79% stated they were unaware of anyone experiencing job loss due to AI.
Upskilling and Career Changes in Response to AI
As a direct response to AI’s potential threats, 37% of respondents expressed intentions to learn AI skills to maintain relevancy in their roles, while 28% opted to pursue careers considered AI-proof. Notably, 4% stated they were currently not altering their plans but remained apprehensive about AI’s consequences. In contrast, 31% affirmed that the emergence of AI technology had not altered their career trajectories.
Generation X emerged as the group most inclined to upskill, with 43% expressing this need. Millennials and Gen Z, however, showed higher tendencies to transition to AI-proof careers, with 29% respectively.
How Employees Feel About AI
The survey results depict overwhelmingly positive sentiment towards AI, with 57% of respondents indicating a strong affinity for the technology. Interestingly, nearly a quarter, or 23%, expressed a love/hate relationship with AI. In contrast, 9% admitted to using it solely out of necessity, while 7% recognized its potential but deemed it currently “useless.” A small fraction, less than 1%, labeled AI as “a stupid gimmick.” The sectors most likely to dismiss AI as a gimmick included Arts & Design and Education & Academia, fields vulnerable to AI-generated content.
How Frequently Employees Use AI
Prompted to assess the frequency of AI utilization, 51% of respondents reported daily use, while 32% utilized AI a few times a week. Only 10% reported using AI tools several times a month, and a mere 3% utilized them infrequently—just a few times each year. Interestingly, 4% of respondents claimed they never used AI. Millennials and Gen Z lead this trend, with 54% using AI daily, outpacing 44% of Baby Boomers and 48% of Generation X.
Most Popular AI Tools Among Workers
Among various AI tools, chatbots such as ChatGPT and Gemini emerged as the most widely used, with 78% of respondents relying on these tools. Following closely, 46% reported using writing assistants like Grammarly, while 32% utilized research tools such as Google Scholar. Additionally, 24% engaged tools designed to enhance presentations (e.g., PowerPoint Copilot), 23% for data analysis (e.g., Excel Copilot), and 22% for coding support. Overall, regardless of industry, chatbots, writing assistants, and research tools were the most favored AI applications among professionals.
Employer Policies on AI Usage
Kickresume further probed employees regarding their firms’ policies on AI usage. Findings revealed that 46% of workers reported their employer had no specific stance on AI use. Meanwhile, 34% noted that they were encouraged to use AI tools, albeit voluntarily. For 8% of respondents, their employers mandated or pressured AI tool usage, whereas slightly fewer, 7%, indicated such usage was discouraged. Alarmingly, 5% faced outright prohibitions against AI tools.
AI’s Impact on Work Experience
The survey investigated the impact of AI on employees’ work experiences. An impressive 35% stated that AI significantly transformed their jobs beyond expectations, while 34% felt it impacted them moderately more than anticipated. Conversely, only 7% reported a lesser impact than anticipated. This trend was consistent across various industries and age demographics, revealing widespread surprise at AI’s influence.
A substantial 48% of workers acknowledged that AI made their jobs significantly easier, with 41% stating it slightly eased their workload. Conversely, only 3% felt it made their jobs harder. The most commonly cited benefit was time savings, identified by 46% of participants, while 23% noted enhanced creativity and 11% appreciated reduced repetitive tasks. Smaller percentages found AI beneficial for decision-making (4%) or claimed no noticeable advantages (2%).
Concerns About AI in the Workplace
However, concerns linger regarding the widespread use of AI. The predominant apprehension, voiced by 19% of respondents, is the fear of over-reliance on technology. An equal percentage (18%) expressed concerns about job displacement and the potential for misinformation. Other notable worries include a potential decline in creativity (15%) and data privacy risks (12%). Ethical issues and biases were cited by 6%, while 5% were concerned about a lack of human oversight.
Peter Duris, CEO and Co-Founder of Kickresume, comments:
“In February 2025, we conducted a follow-up AI survey, building upon our 2021 study, which revealed that 39% of professionals were utilizing some form of automation. Now that AI is mainstream, that figure has soared to 96% of our respondents using AI tools at least occasionally to aid their work.
“Yet, reactions to AI are mixed. Approximately 23% of respondents reported a ‘love/hate’ relationship with the technology, while many professionals are prioritizing upskilling to work alongside AI. Nearly one in five individuals has either lost their job to AI or knows someone who has, highlighting the urgency for professionals to adapt. In fact, more than 60% indicated they have had to rethink their career paths or adjust their work habits due to AI.”
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