Why UAE leaders must start having honest conversations about AI at work

Ignorance often feels like safety, until it does not. New global research on work and technology shows that when people get closer to artificial intelligence in their day-to-day jobs, their emotions do not move neatly from fear to comfort. Familiarity often brings a sharper awareness of both opportunity and risk.

That tension is particularly pronounced in the UAE. According to Mercer’s new HR Technology’s Impact on the Workforce 2025 study, which surveyed over 8,500 employees in ten countries, the countries with the highest use of AI at work include the UAE, Mexico and Singapore. In the UAE, nearly 85 per cent of workers have already used AI to help with their work, yet 44 per cent say they are reluctant to try new technology at work because they fear it will alter their job or render it obsolete.

I would have thought that the more familiar we become with AI, the more comfortable we would feel. But no. The paradox flips that expectation on its head, reminding me that knowledge can magnify people’s uncertainty rather than alleviate it.

The paradox is not only about job loss. It is also about whether anyone is prepared to be honest about the journey ahead. In my own work, I see a reluctance among leaders to talk about the impact of AI on jobs and people. The research echoes this. Globally, only 25 per cent of CEOs and 13 per cent of HR leaders say they have discussed the impacts of AI on the business. Fewer than 30 per cent of employees strongly believe their company will guide them towards the skills they will need next. Fewer than 20 per cent say their manager is talking to them about the impacts of AI on their job or the wider organisation.

Good to talk

More encouragingly, two in three employees say they trust their employer to find them a job if their current one is eliminated. This is a telling statistic that suggests people are ready to move with their organisation… but the conversation they need is not yet happening. It’s easy to see why there would be delays. Talking openly about AI means admitting uncertainty, and saying that some roles will change significantly and that some tasks will disappear. Yet staying silent is riskier. When leaders do not fill the information gap, employees will fill it themselves, often with worst case scenarios.

Trust is central to whether these conversations help or harm. Employees listen not only to what leaders say about AI, but also to how self-interested that message feels. If they sense that AI is primarily about cost cutting or impressing shareholders, trust collapses. If instead leaders are open about trade-offs and clearly focused on people’s long-term employability, AI conversations can become a source of stability.

So what should leaders in the UAE and wider GCC actually say. A useful starting point is Simon Sinek’s advice to “start with why”. Before launching a new AI tool, explain why you are adopting it. Is it to serve customers better, to improve safety, to reduce repetitive work, to open up new kinds of roles. Employees need a clear, human centred reason for change, not just a list of features and functions.

Once the “why” is clear, leaders can move to the “what” and the “how”. Many organisations are choosing to commit to ethical and responsible AI, to focus on augmentation rather than replacement, and to involve employees in testing and improving new tools. The “how” can include targeted upskilling programmes, protected time for learning, and joint workshops where teams redesign their work so that AI takes on routine tasks and humans focus on creativity, problem solving and relationships.

Communication should not be treated as a one-off announcement about a new platform. Large scale updates, such as town halls or leadership videos, can set the vision. They need to be followed by smaller group conversations and manager led check ins where people can say “I am worried about this” without feeling judged. Practical workshops that allow employees to experiment safely with AI tools can help turn anxiety into curiosity and uncover local ideas for how AI can improve work.

Leadership matters

In the end, talking about AI isn’t about dazzling people with new tools or clever terminology. It’s about rebuilding the basics of human connection. The AI proximity paradox reminds us that the more closely people work with AI, the more uncertainty they often feel. So instead of layering on more technology or polished messaging, we need to create space for real conversations. People don’t need another app to feel heard; they need leaders who listen, acknowledge fears, and explore possibilities together.

Viewed in this context, AI will not decide whether employees feel hopeful or fearful about the future. Leaders will. The question for organisations in the UAE is simple. Will you leave people standing alone on the edge of the cliff? Or will you walk up beside them, look over together and talk openly about the path down?