Organizations are investing billions in artificial intelligence.
They’re piloting new tools, rewriting workflows, establishing governance frameworks, and setting ambitious productivity goals. Yet despite this momentum, many leaders are still asking the same question: Why aren’t we seeing better adoption rates across our workforce?
We might have the answer to that question: Less than half of employees say their organization has offered any kind of training, preferring to leave employees to figure it out on their own instead.
Businessolver’s annual State of Workplace study found that employee confidence about their careers, loyalty to their workplace, and satisfaction with their job and leadership is tied to empathy. When it’s present, the data shows higher satisfaction and loyalty. When it’s absent, we see fear and lower productivity.
When organizations provide AI training, they see 1.5X gains in employee sentiments around career agency and confidence.
For years, organizations have measured AI success through implementation milestones: Licenses purchased, use cases launched, productivity gains estimated, or business processes automated. These metrics are important, but they don’t tell the whole story.
Employee AI confidence is the belief that they can successfully use AI in their role, feel confident in adapting as the technology evolves, and feel supported in their career agency. An employee may have access to AI tools but still feel uncertain about using them effectively. They may worry about making mistakes, falling behind peers, or losing relevance as job requirements change.
Without confidence, access alone does not drive meaningful adoption.
Research from McKinsey has found that organizations generating the greatest value from AI treat transformation as a broader organizational and workforce challenge, not simply a technology deployment exercise.
Our take? Technology can be deployed in months. Confidence and trust takes longer to build.
Employees’ attitudes toward AI are often more nuanced than leaders realize.
In Businessolver’s latest State of Workplace Empathy research, 61% of employees said AI makes them optimistic about their future at work. At the same time, nearly 40% said AI makes them concerned about their future.
What the data is telling us: Organizations aren’t managing a workforce that is either fully excited about AI or fully resistant to it. They’re managing both perspectives simultaneously.
Negative sentiments are further reinforced when there’s no clear path forward for employees. This year, 30% of CEOs said their primary motivation for AI transformation is cost savings via reduced headcount. That doesn’t instill a lot of confidence or trust for employees in those organizations.
Some employees see AI as an opportunity for growth, increased productivity, and career advancement. Others worry about job displacement, changing expectations, or whether their skills will remain relevant.
AI confidence issues often show up before organizations notice declines in adoption.
Employees may have access to AI tools, but usage remains limited. This can signal uncertainty about when and how AI should be used rather than a lack of interest.
When employees continue asking the same questions about AI policies, expectations, or outcomes, it may indicate communication gaps rather than knowledge gaps.
Employees who don’t see a clear connection between training and their future success may disengage from learning opportunities.
If employees primarily discuss job loss, disruption, or uncertainty, leaders may need to spend more time communicating how AI supports employee growth.
A lack of training poses a significant risk to today’s organizations.
Organizations would never introduce a new enterprise platform, compliance process, or business strategy without providing guidance and support. Yet nearly half of employees say they are navigating AI largely on their own.
The impact of training is substantial.
According to a Bright Horizons Workforce Outlook study, 42% of employees say their employer expects them to learn AI on their own, while 34% report feeling unprepared for AI-driven workplace changes. This research also found AI adoption increases to 76% when employers provide training and support, compared with just 25% when they do not.
Our own findings show a similar pattern. Employees who receive adequate AI training are significantly more likely to report confidence, optimism, career progression, and a greater sense of control over their work.
MetLife’s 2026 Employee Benefit Trends Study found that 67% of employers say AI is creating new friction or mistrust between employees and management. https://www.metlife.com/about-us/newsroom/2026/march/metlife-study-finds-ai-acceleration-is-creating-new-concerns-in-todays-workplace/
When employees don’t trust leadership’s intentions, even well-designed AI initiatives can struggle. Conversely, when organizations communicate clearly, invite feedback, and provide support, employees are more likely to view AI as an opportunity rather than a threat.
Businessolver’s research found that employees in empathetic workplace cultures are significantly more likely to report positive perceptions of AI and access to adequate AI training.
The lesson for leaders is simple: AI transformation is reshaping the future of work. Your AI initiative is also a trust initiative.
Organizations looking to strengthen AI readiness should start by asking four questions:
As organizations continue investing in AI, the most successful leaders will recognize that adoption is not just about tools. It’s about helping people feel prepared for the future of work.
Because ultimately, the organizations that gain the greatest value from AI won’t simply be the ones with the most advanced technology.
They’ll be the ones with the most confident workforce.
