Employees are being pushed to keep up with AI while many still lack the confidence, direction or expectations needed to use it effectively, according to Resume Now’s latest survey.
The survey of more than 1,000 U.S. employed workers found that 44% feel overwhelmed by the pressure to learn and use AI at work. Resume Now describes these employees as “AI-whelmed workers,” caught between the need to build new skills and uncertainty about how to do it.
Workers Are Willing to Pay to Keep Up
The pressure is reaching employees’ wallets. Thirty percent said they are likely to spend their own money learning AI skills for work because they are worried about falling behind. At the same time, 42% said they are not confident integrating AI into their work processes. That includes 21% who said they are not confident at all and another 21% who are not very confident.
The results suggest that willingness to learn is running ahead of employees’ confidence in putting AI into practice.
Many Workers Don’t Know Where to Start
Finding a starting point is another obstacle. Forty-four percent said they are unclear about where to begin building AI skills, while just 18% said they are very clear on where to start. That uncertainty comes as many employees are still receiving little direction from their employers.
Employers Are Sending Mixed Signals
Forty-two percent of respondents said there is no expectation for them to use AI at work. Another 18% said AI use has been discussed, but their employer has not established a real expectation.
Meanwhile, 23% said AI use is encouraged but not required, and just 17% said they are expected to use AI in their day-to-day work.
The result is a workplace where employees can feel pressure to develop AI skills even when their employers have not clearly defined how or when those skills should be used.
For workers, that leaves a sizable gap between knowing AI matters and knowing what to actually do with it.
