After a whirlwind relationship with AI, workers are waking up to the sad reality of adopting this technology.
ManpowerGroup’s 2026 Workforce Solutions Company Global Talent Barometer found that the relationship between workers and AI has become complicated. The study, based on interviews with nearly 14,000 workers in 19 countries, found that while regular use of AI among workers jumped 13% in 2025, confidence in using the technology fell 18%.
“AI adoption is accelerating, but trust is plummeting,” said Mara Stefan, vice president of global insights at ManpowerGroup. Fortune. “Workers are given tools without training, context or support. »
The confidence gap doesn’t hit everyone equally. This situation is more pronounced among older workers, with a 35% drop in confidence among baby boomers and 25% among Gen X workers. As technology becomes a daily requirement, staff, and especially its most experienced members, feel left behind.
The void of training
Business leaders remain optimistic about AI and the era of productivity that the technology can usher in, believing that the marriage between workers and AI is a promising endeavor. Jamie Dimon of JPMorgan said technology could reduce the work week to 3.5 days. Sundar Pichai of Google assimilated AI discovering fire or electricity in its ability to democratize information. However, perhaps the only blind spot for leaders is that AI adoption has outpaced training.
“The gap is not the technology, but rather the lack of tools and training that is causing some of this anxiety,” Stefan said. Fifty-six percent of workers worldwide said they have not benefited from any recent developments in their skills, even though the overwhelming majority of workplaces around the world report having adopted AI to some extent. Without a bridge between skills and job requirements, employees are left in the dark.
This mismatch could explain why many companies have failed to reap the benefits of AI. A recent PwC survey found that only 10-12% of companies say they have seen revenue or cost benefits from the technology, while 56% say they have gained “nothing” from it. Without proper support and training, workers face increasing burnout, with nearly two-thirds, or 63 percent, reporting fatigue due to stress and heavy workloads, according to the ManpowerGroup study.
However, Stefan cautions against assuming that AI adoption will not increase productivity, saying it is not the technology but rather the lack of training that is the cause. “It would be a little dangerous to try to say that the use of productivity is not there or that it will not be there in the future,” Stefan said. “We need to see some systems appear in organizations, in terms of managing systems and processes. »
Certainly, many companies play the role of advisors between workers and AI, implementing training programs to keep workers up to date with the latest updates in the technology. Several companies, including IBM And Accenturehave deployed internal “AI academies” to reskill staff, betting that skills development will counteract fear and boost engagement. But for many, this safety net is lacking.
Automation Fears Drive Hug Labor‘
This gap between adoption and mastery creates a tense environment. In a complete 180° since the Great Resignation, most workers are choosing to stay in their current jobs out of fear of AI automation. Sixty-four percent of workers surveyed are “looking for work” despite burnout and lack of skills.
The stagnation of workers poses a challenge for businesses. While executives like Microsoft’s Satya Nadella consider AI as an assistant that can “empower employees,” the reality is that many workers have a strained relationship with AI. When AI adoption is not accompanied by investments in professional development, the technology can feel more like a toxic partner than a reliable colleague. The onus is on employers to upskill their workforce to keep pace with AI adoption.
“People aren’t afraid of AI,” Stefan said, “but they are afraid of being left behind.”