A few years on from ChatGPT’s release, how we feel about AI has changed. Our conversations about AI, at work and in life, have shifted from the abstract to the tangible. With so many uncertainties around AI, and the lack of guardrails, AI optimism is increasingly tempered by AI scepticism.
From worrying about whether our kid will be able to get an entry-level job to the feelings of unease we have when a loved one sends us an AI-generated text, AI anxiety is becoming increasingly personal. It’s no longer a generalised concern about humanity, but a specific anxiety about our own humanness.
In a recent EY survey of 1000 white collar US employees,48% said that they were more anxious about AI than they were a year ago. This challenges the assumption that greater exposure automatically creates greater comfort or trust. Instead, for some, increased AI engagement is a contributor to rising AI anxiety.
This creates a difficult leadership environment.
Executives and managers are expected to drive AI adoption while simultaneously managing employee fears. EY reports employee concerns focused on AI adoption making certain jobs obsolete (75%) and negative impacts on their pay (72%). Respondents also worry about being bypassed for promotion for not knowing how to use AI technology (67%) and falling behind if they don’t use AI at work (66%). Employees also have concerns around the quality of AI outputs, the speed at which AI is being adopted and the vulnerabilities caused by the proliferation of AI-generated misinformation and deepfakes.
If AI anxiety is rising, then that means that leaders need new strategies and capabilities to manage it. Because the long-term impacts of AI are so uncertain, transparent and honest communication matters enormously. Workplaces need to make space for critical thinking and healthy scepticism, rather than treating every concern about AI as resistance to progress.
It’s important to acknowledge that feeling threatened by AI is perfectly logical and natural. Any leadership response to AI anxiety that is not rooted in authentic empathy is likely to be met with distrust.
Leaders need to understand the drivers of AI anxiety, and the differences in generational responses. Researchers are currently looking into how integrating GenAI in the workplace is challenging employees’ psychological needs for competence, autonomy and social connection.
Focus on a psychologically safe workplace, implementing AI governance and ethical guidelines, and training are some of the strategic ways that leaders can bolster employee confidence in their commitment to responsible AI adoption.