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UK organisations are failing to keep pace with the workforce support required to successfully embed AI, according to new research.
While optimism around AI continues to rise, workers are more cautious and less confident about AI than this time last year, says Henley Business School’s World of Work Institute.
The survey of 2,900 full-time UK workers from 29 business sectors across the UK shows that 58% are optimistic about AI at work, compared to 56% when the same question was asked in 2025. But this optimism isn’t translating into confidence or capability, with 61% of respondents still feeling overwhelmed (61% in 2025), suggesting AI related ‘change fatigue’ is impacting the workforce.
When asked about the overriding feeling around AI at work, ‘cautious’ claimed the top spot, with 28% of workers selecting this sentiment compared to 26% last year. At the same time, a high proportion of workers (60%) said their employer doesn’t have, or they are unsure if they have, AI guidelines (compared to 68% last year) - highlighting the gap between the adoption of AI and the failure to upskill the workforce and implement safeguards.
Workers’ top three concerns about using AI at work show the need for skill support
Reluctance to use AI could also be explained by the top three concerns respondents have about using AI at work:
Dependence - nearly half (42%) worry about becoming overly dependent on it.
Losing skills - over a third (35%) worry about losing critical skills.
Inaccuracies - nearly a third (28%) worry about being able to identify errors and bias.
In addition to this, nearly two-thirds (63%) sometimes choose not to use AI tools in their role, even when available.
Dr Melissa Carr, Lecturer in International Human Resource Management at Henley Business School, said of the findings: “These findings point to a growing implementation gap, with organisations adopting AI faster than they are equipping their people to use it well. Change fatigue is a predictable consequence when employees are expected to adapt without adequate support, guidance, or skills development.
“HR leaders now have a critical role to play in closing this gap. Organisations need to act by implementing people strategies that have clear AI guidelines, practical training, and room for employees to build confidence without fear of falling behind.”
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Generational differences: trust and job replacement trends
A complex generational dynamic is emerging too that organisations will need to manage. Younger generations are more open to AI use, but they are also more fearful of its impact. With over a third (36%) of all workers surveyed fearful that AI will replace their role, this rises to 44% of Gen Z, suggesting a heightened anxiety around entry-level job security.
But younger workers trust their employers to be transparent about the impact of AI in relation to job losses or significant changes to roles (70% of Gen Z compared to 55% of all respondents). Gen Z are also more comfortable with AI managing or directing aspects of their work at 59% compared to the base finding of 45%.
“There is now a clear expectation among workers for greater flexibility in how and when they work, and many see technology, AI in particular, as an enabler of this shift. Particularly among younger generations, there is a growing belief that AI could support reduced working time, including models such as the four-day week” adds Dr Rita Fontinha, Director of Flexible Work, World of Work Institute at Henley Business School.
