How to help your people be AI confident

How does tour team really feel about using AI at work?

Are they excited? Nervous? Maybe a little of both?

A recent study shows just how common AI has become in the workplace—and how mixed the feelings still are.

Four out of five employees now use some form of AI tool in their daily work. More than half rely on AI assistants regularly to save time. But that doesn’t mean everyone’s comfortable with it.

Some worry they’ll be seen as lazy or untrustworthy for leaning on AI. Others feel judged or second-guessed by colleagues when they do.

It’s a strange dynamic: people trust AI to help them, but they don’t always trust how others will react.

The truth is, AI is here to support—not replace—people. It’s a tool to help us focus on what we do best: strategy, creativity, and problem-solving.

But for that to happen, employees need confidence. And that’s where many businesses are falling short.

Only one in three workers have had formal AI training. Most are figuring it out by trial and error, which leads to uncertainty, mistakes, and mistrust.

Managers tend to feel more confident (around 70%), but that drops sharply among junior staff—only about a third feel the same way.

So what’s the solution?

It starts with culture. Business leaders need to create an environment where experimenting with AI is encouraged, not judged.

Show your team that using AI tools isn’t cheating—it’s smart working.

Offer opportunities to learn, whether through formal training, internal workshops, or simple “show and tell” sessions where employees share how they’re using AI to make work easier.

AI confidence doesn’t happen overnight. But when people feel supported and trusted, they’re far more likely to embrace it. That’s when you see real results: better efficiency, more creativity, and a team ready for the future of work.