3 Stats That Explain Why Your Coworkers Are Quietly Panicking About AI
What 4,000+ workers actually think about AI at work, and the one move that puts you ahead
Hey Adopter,
Three numbers. Three truths. One thing to do before Monday.
This week’s research paints a clear picture: employees are anxious, undertrained, and doing nothing about it. Here’s what matters and what to do with it.
Now, the stats.
45% of the job feels replaceable
Workers believe AI could automate nearly half their responsibilities. Managers estimate even higher for their own tasks.
The strange part? Most of those same workers say they are not highly concerned AI will threaten their job in the next year.
That is not confidence. That is cognitive dissonance. People acknowledge the threat, then talk themselves out of acting on it. “My role is different.” “My company moves slow.” “It will plateau.”
The truth: The gap between “this could replace half of what I do” and “I’ll probably be fine” is where careers stall.
50% worried, 33% hopeful
Pew’s 2025 survey asked US workers how they feel about AI in the workplace. About half said worried. Only a third said hopeful. A similar share said overwhelmed.
Even fewer believe AI will improve their own job opportunities. Most expect it to reduce opportunities or change nothing.
Meanwhile, only about a quarter of workers fully trust their employer to use AI responsibly. When trust is low, people use unapproved tools instead. That is how shadow AI spreads.
The truth: Your coworkers are anxious, sceptical, and stuck. The bar for standing out just got lower.
68% want training, not promises
Here is the stat that should change how you think about job security.
The Predictive Index found 68% of employees want AI training more than job guarantees. Nearly seven in ten say they will move or leave if their employer will not help them keep up.
But companies are not delivering. More than half of workers lack clear guidelines on AI tool usage. Only about a third say they have received proper AI training, even though most who use AI regularly report higher productivity.
The truth: Workers are begging for skills. Companies keep offering reassurance. That mismatch is your opening.
Your Monday move
Stop waiting. Pick one task you do weekly that takes 60+ minutes. Build a 20-minute AI-assisted version. Document the before and after.
Then mention it to your manager. Not a formal presentation. Just: “I tried something. Here’s what happened.”
That is how you become the person who figures things out instead of the person who waits for permission.
Forward this to...
Adapt & Create,
Kamil
PS: I’m speaking at Limitless Live this week on AI and mental sharpness. If you want the full breakdown on using these tools without outsourcing your brain, join us →
Trust becomes the core employer brand asset.
People do not panic because AI exists. They panic when they feel the company has no plan for them. The Iceberg logic reframes employer branding as expectation management: transparency about skill change, reskilling signals, and leadership intent matter more than attraction messaging.
I use the "The Employer Brand Trust Test" when I work with leaders: Ask these three questions inside your organization:
1) Can employees explain how their work might change, not just what their title is today?
If the only answer is a job description, trust is already eroding.
2) When tasks disappear or are automated, do people know what happens next?
Silence is interpreted as disposability.
3) Has leadership articulated a point of view on reskilling, beyond “we support learning”?
Vague intent does not count as a plan.
Monday move might be the good thing to consider definitely. My guess is that people might have to wear more hats very soon since AI enabled so many things to be done faster.
But we’ll see!