AUSTIN (KXAN) — Howdy.com, a tech recruitment firm launched in Austin in 2018, frequently conducts surveys and publishes blogs offering insights into hiring, remote work, and the tech industry. A few recent surveys asked people about their usage of and thoughts on Artificial Intelligence in the workplace.
Howdy’s most recent survey found a rising trend of what the company calls “AI anxiety,” which mostly stems from people starting to develop a reliance on using AI.
In August, Howdy surveyed 1,007 full-time workers who use AI in some capacity at work. Of those, 25% were fully remote workers, 36% work in person, and 39% are hybrid, according to Howdy.
“Our findings were really interesting,” Emily Fanous, a spokesperson for Howdy, said. “Of course, AI has been around for a while now, but I think it’s getting more sophisticated and folks are getting more comfortable using it, that now we’re able to survey workers and ask just how much they’re using AI in their jobs.”
Fanous said that 14% of respondents, or more than 1 in 10, said they rely on AI entirely for their jobs, and one in five said they conceal their AI use from their colleagues.
“It’s really interesting and maybe… raises some red flags for folks, knowing that folks are now relying on [AI for] their jobs,” she said.
The survey results led Howdy to conclude that “AI anxiety” is on the rise. The company described four main concepts of AI anxiety that could be summed up as the following: AI atrophy, AI ambivalence, antisocial AI, and unique challenges for Gen Z.
‘AI atrophy’
“Because so many people admit to relying on AI entirely, we’re also seeing that one in five workers surveyed said that they’re already struggling with tasks that they used to easily handle without AI,” Fanous said. “So really, kind of driving home that idea of maybe the use of AI has been becoming so reliant on it that now folks are potentially losing some of their skills that they’ve built up in their careers.”
According to Howdy:
- 1 in 5 reported skill loss due to over-reliance on AI
- 28% of respondents said AI makes them smarter, but
- 21% feel like AI makes them less capable
The results also showed that 1 in 10 said they rely entirely on AI for their jobs, and 37% of respondents said they judge colleagues who rely on AI at work.
Another statistic the survey revealed related to AI literacy, or identifying whether something was AI-generated. Fanous said the survey provided three images, one of which was made by AI. Although 64% said they thought they could identify AI-generated images, but only 33% succeeded when tested.
“So I think it’s really interesting that people are using AI, but it still is, in some instances — whether that’s through writing, it’s image generation — it’s hard for folks to be able to identify exactly what is AI and what is not,” Fanous said. “And I think that that just further, you know, continues the sentiment of, use AI with caution… It shouldn’t be something that folks completely rely on day in, day out.”
‘AI ambivalence’
Howdy found skepticism about the staying power of AI.
- 37% think AI is an economic bubble that could spark a recession
- 19% doubt their employer’s AI strategy is sustainable
- 19% worry about losing jobs to AI redundancy
The company also said people are acting to stay competitive and protect their careers: 32% are “upskilling,” and 17% plan to pursue higher degrees.
According to Howdy, 41% of people said they’re not worried about job loss, but performance anxiety related to AI use in the workplace is bugging people. The results revealed 22% of respondents cite poor quality work, or “AI workslop” as their top concern when using AI.
‘Antisocial AI’
The survey asked respondents about the social aspect of work too, and how AI can affect workplace relationships. Here are some of the key findings:
- 18% interact with AI more than coworkers, and 20% prefer it
- Nearly 1 in 10 give their AI tool a human name
- 19% conceal AI use from colleagues
- 24% use AI for stress management
Among the remote workers who took the survey, 29% of them interact with AI more than with coworkers, and 25% prefer AI conversations. Howdy found that 1 in 6 pursued friendships or romantic feelings with AI.
Gen Z’s unique challenges
Howdy found that Gen Z workers are embracing AI despite the risk associated with it, and that Gen Z faces unique challenges because of being raised in the age of widespread information, technology and AI.
- 28% believe AI makes them “more stupid”
- 14% rely fully on AI for their jobs
- 8% have taken a second full-time job due to AI displacement
- 29% plan to pursue a higher degree to protect their careers
Nearly half of Gen Z respondents said they’re becoming more reliant on AI in all aspects of life, including socially: 36% said they use AI for anxiety management, and 17% have formed friendships with AI.
How to respond
Howdy wrote in its blog about the survey that while AI is beneficial and here to stay, its use should be balanced and AI is not a replacement for human intelligence or relationships.
“AI is here to stay. But without balance, its risks — from skill atrophy to social isolation — could undercut its benefits. Employers can help by training staff on AI’s strengths and limits, encouraging upskilling, and fostering human connection alongside tech adoption.”
Read more about the survey and see all the results on Howdy’s website.
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