Leaders Assume Employees Are Excited About AI. They’re Wrong.
Senior leaders think employees are excited about AI. Employees say… not so much.
In a recent survey of 1,400 U.S. workers:
🔹 76% of executives believe employees are enthusiastic about AI
🔹 Only 31% of individual contributors agree
And it’s part of a bigger blind spot:
🔹 75% of executives say their company is employee-centric
🔹 Only 23% of employees feel the same
This gap matters. A lot.
Organizations that actually listen to employees and design AI around their needs are 7x more likely to succeed with AI.
What sets these employee-centric, AI-mature organizations apart?
✨ They communicate openly about AI
✨ They involve employees in shaping how AI is used
✨ They tailor support to different employee groups
✨ They focus on improving workflows, not just efficiency
The impact is huge:
✔ Employees are far more informed, motivated, and optimistic
✔ Adoption moves faster
✔ Morale, retention, and performance rise
✔ AI tools are actually used—and used well
AI adoption starts with people, not technology.
Listening and co-creation beat top-down mandates every time. The organizations that treat employees the way customer-centric companies treat customers will win—not just with AI, but with engagement, loyalty, and performance.
The future of AI is human.