Knowledge workers may have concerns about artificial intelligence’s impact on society, but most have no interest in giving it up on the job, according to new research from Atlassian.
The survey found that 74% of knowledge workers believe AI has a positive impact on their work, even though 64% also expressed concerns about AI’s effects on society. The findings suggest workers increasingly separate their views of AI as a technology from its practical value in the workplace.
Workers Value AI More at Work Than at Home
If forced to choose, knowledge workers are twice as likely to give up AI in their personal lives than at work. The preference was consistent across generations, seniority levels, and job functions.
Half of AI users said they would oppose losing access to workplace AI tools, and nearly one in 10 said they would consider looking for another job if those tools were taken away.
Interestingly, only 19% said it would be difficult to maintain their performance without AI, while 57% believed they could perform just as well without it.
AI Is Becoming Part of Daily Work
Atlassian found AI adoption among knowledge workers has reached 90%, with heavy use continuing to increase as AI becomes embedded in team workflows rather than used occasionally.
To better understand how employees rely on AI, the company asked a group of its own talent acquisition specialists to alternate between a day of using AI as much as possible and a day without it.
On the no-AI day, 82% said they felt the urge to use AI, and nearly one in four reached for it automatically. Participants also reported more difficulty completing tasks without AI.
AI Reduced Stress but Raised Questions About Dependence
During the AI-enabled workday, employees reported that priority work felt 44% easier and stress levels were 22% lower than on the day without AI.
However, the experiment also highlighted the importance of using AI intentionally rather than by habit. After completing both workdays, most participants said they felt more confident deciding when AI adds value and when relying on their own expertise is the better choice.
