Nearly half of workers have been found to be exaggerating their level of artificial intelligence (AI) use to colleagues or bosses.

Tech outlet TechRadar reported on Oct. 12 that HR data analytics firm Visier said 48% of respondents answered that they overstate their AI usage or expertise.

The responses came alongside the perception that AI has already significantly changed work on the ground. Some 54% of respondents said AI has significantly changed their role over the past 2 years, while criticism followed that companies' preparation and support are not sufficient compared with the pace of change.

There was also substantial pressure in workplaces to use AI. Some 45% of respondents said they feel pressure to use AI at work. It suggests that in an atmosphere where AI use is treated as a benchmark for performance or adapting to work, behavior aimed at appearing to use AI more than actual capability is spreading.

The problem is that companies are not managing these changes systematically. Some 32% of respondents said their company has no clear AI plan, and 27% were not even sure whether their company has an AI plan. Only about one-third said they believe management understands the level of training and support needed on the ground.

The lack of training was also confirmed in the figures. Only 21% of respondents said their company provides sufficient training and support. The most requested item by employees was opportunities to strengthen capabilities, at 32%. Responses calling for greater transparency were at a similar level, at 31%.

Job insecurity from the spread of AI also emerged as a key issue. Some 24% of respondents said they are concerned about losing their job because of AI, and many also said they want career development opportunities. Some 18% said they need clearer guidance on how AI will affect them.

Andrea Derler (안드레아 덜러) said what employees want is not "protection" but "preparation". Derler said people want to be sufficiently guided after a company's plans are properly in place, rather than being protected from AI-driven change. That means education and information provision should come before the technology rollout itself to reduce anxiety in workplaces.

Visier said companies should prioritize education and transparency to secure employee trust, and said these procedures must come first for the productivity gains companies have expected to be realized. With AI adoption moving quickly, it is increasingly likely that actual competitiveness will be decided not by whether a company adopts the technology, but by the organization's execution capability in explaining it and training people.