Artificial intelligence is already changing the workplace for most U.S. workers, but many are preparing for its impact largely on their own.
A survey of U.S. workers conducted on behalf of Campbellsville University found that 61% have already seen AI change something about their workplace. Nearly one-quarter, 24%, are very or extremely concerned about its effect on their job or career, while 14% are already rethinking their career because of AI.
Gen Z Feels The Job Security Pressure
Younger workers reported some of the strongest concerns about AI. Thirty percent of Gen Z workers said AI has made their job feel less secure, compared with 20% of workers overall.
Gen Z was also the generation most likely to say it is reconsidering its career because of AI, at 17%.
Technology and software workers reported the highest level of concern among industries surveyed, with 36% saying they were very or extremely concerned about AI’s effect on their careers.
Workers See Hands-On Skills As Harder To Replace
Workers are not viewing every skill or occupation as equally vulnerable to AI.
Skilled trades such as electrical and plumbing work were considered the most resistant to AI disruption, selected by 51% of respondents. Physical and manual labor followed at 37%, while direct patient care roles in healthcare ranked at 35%.
When asked about individual skills, specialized trade skills ranked highest at 54%, followed by emotional intelligence at 45%. Only 7% identified technical IT strategy as one of the skills most protected from AI.
Workers also placed a strong emphasis on human judgment. Seventy percent said ethical decision-making should remain a human responsibility, while 23% identified the ability to build trust with customers, teams or clients as the most valuable type of worker for the future.
Only 12% Say Employers Train Them Very Well
Workers are taking steps to prepare for AI, but many do not feel their employers are doing enough.
Fifty-eight percent said they had already taken at least one action to future-proof their careers. The most common step was learning to use AI tools, reported by 37%.
At the same time, only 12% said their employer was training them very well on AI tools or AI-related skills. Thirty percent said their employer was not training them well.
Formal AI training was the most commonly selected form of support workers said would help them prepare, at 18%, followed by greater transparency about potential job changes at 17%.
The findings show workers are already making decisions about which skills they believe will hold value as AI becomes more common at work, while relatively few say they are receiving strong AI training from their employers.
