A new workplace study reveals that while employees are rapidly embracing artificial intelligence (AI), many are doing so without guidance, transparency or institutional support, creating what researchers describe as a hidden risk to organisational productivity and innovation.

The survey, conducted by The Harris Poll on behalf of career transition firm INTOO, polled 1,158 full and part-time employed adults in the United States between March 31 and April 2, 2026. It found that despite 52 percent of employees describing themselves as AI experts at work and 63 percent believing their AI knowledge makes them more valuable, significant cultural barriers are undermining confident and open adoption.

One in five employees reported being unclear about what is acceptable when using AI for work-related tasks, while one in four said they would not feel comfortable disclosing to colleagues that they had used AI to complete an assignment. The study identifies this behaviour as “silent AI usage,” a pattern of informal experimentation happening without organisational visibility or shared learning.

The embarrassment factor runs deeper. Forty-two percent of workers said they would find it embarrassing to ask coworkers for help with new technology, including AI tools, a reluctance that limits collaboration and slows collective skill-building.

A generational paradox also emerged. Younger workers aged 18 to 34 were the most confident in their AI abilities at 63 percent, compared to 39 percent among those aged 45 and above. Yet the same younger group were also the most likely to feel embarrassed seeking help, at 55 percent versus 35 percent among workers aged 35 and above.

On job security, 34 percent of respondents worried AI could replace their roles within two years, though the majority at 59 percent expressed no such concern.

INTOO Chief Revenue Officer Mira Greenland said the findings point to a structural problem organisations must address urgently. “This isn’t a technology gap; it’s a culture gap,” she said, adding that companies risk inconsistent practices and missed innovation when AI adoption happens without open dialogue and psychological safety.

INTOO’s recommendations include establishing clear AI usage guidelines, encouraging leaders to model transparent AI adoption and building workplace cultures where employees feel safe asking questions and sharing their methods.