AI at Work: Empowering, Yet Overwhelming

Optimism Meets Anxiety in the Workplace

A new global study by the IBM Institute for Business Value reveals a paradox at the heart of AI adoption in the workplace. While 60% of employees view AI positively and believe it will improve their work-life balance, nearly half also report feeling stressed and overwhelmed by the pace of technological change. The report, which surveyed more than 3,000 executives and 15,000 workers worldwide, points to a growing disparity between enthusiasm for AI’s potential and widespread uncertainty about how it will affect job roles, skills, and future opportunities.

Skills Gap Threatens to Stall Progress

The report underscores a significant skills gap, with only 28% of workers feeling confident in their ability to successfully work with AI tools. Despite employers investing in upskilling, many employees worry that their current training isn’t sufficient to keep pace with rapid AI integration. Executives, too, acknowledge the need for deeper investment in workforce development. The findings suggest that without strategic reskilling efforts, the accelerated deployment of AI could deepen workplace inequality and erode trust—especially among younger and entry-level workers who feel least prepared.