A global survey highlights a growing AI trust gap among employees and leaders in the IT space.
Cloud communications and IT company GoTo has today (15 September) released the findings of a new research study, ‘The Pulse of Work in 2026: Opportunity, Risk and Responsibility in an AI-driven Workplace’.
The report, in partnership with Workplace Intelligence, collected data from 2,500 globally dispersed employees and IT leaders to explore AI use and sentiment. Participants were from a diverse range of countries, including the US, Canada, the UK, Ireland, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, India, Mexico and Brazil.
What was identified in GoTo’s research is that, while there are many positives associated with the use of AI in the workplace, there are “pitfalls” too.
The research found that AI can save more than two hours per day, boost productivity and reduce routine workloads. However, amid unclear guardrailing, employees are struggling to navigate growing risks. More than 80pc of participants fear they could be blamed or fired for an AI mistake and 31pc agreed they avoid using AI for that reason.
Nearly one-quarter of IT leaders who contributed to the research said that AI has already made mistakes that have either negatively impacted consumers and clients, or financially impacted their company. Almost all of the IT leaders who took part (91pc) agreed that they are concerned AI will make a mistake that impacts their company in the future.
Commenting on the findings of the research, Rich Veldran, the CEO of GoTo, said, “In the US alone, there’s an opportunity for more than $2.9trn in potential efficiency gains to be captured from effective AI use. But without clear guardrails, that potential is being eroded by anxiety, misuse and unaddressed risk.
“The organisations that close the gap with clear accountability structures, training and policies that give employees confidence won’t just speed adoption, they’ll be the ones who pull ahead.”
Small businesses were also found to be facing significant challenges, as only 24pc said they have an AI policy in place, compared to 36pc of mid-size organisations and 53pc of enterprises.
The report stated, “That leaves the majority of small and mid-size business employees without clear guidance on how to use these tools safely, further increasing concerns.”
Making AI accountable
The research found that not only are some people not confident enough in the use of AI, but some employees are taking advantage of AI’s limitations. More than one-quarter of contributing employees said that using AI allows them to avoid any real accountability at work.
25pc said it feels safer to blame AI than to own up to a mistake and 17pc of employees admitted that they have already done so.
Many employees feel as though their company is falling behind in the promotion of responsible AI, even in cases where there is a clear policy in place. 55pc admitted they don’t always review or double-check AI outputs, even for high-stakes tasks, and 43pc said they’ve used AI outputs even though they felt they were low-quality or suspected they might contain errors or fabricated information.
GoTo’s report also highlighted fears that employees’ concerns are being ignored or that they are in an environment in which they are not confident enough to vocalise concerns.
31pc said there is unspoken pressure at work to trust AI and keep quiet about its mistakes, while 14pc reported AI errors to a manager or leader but were told to stay quiet about them.
Dan Schawbel, a managing partner at Workplace Intelligence, said, “We’re seeing a new kind of workplace pressure – employees feel they must use AI to avoid looking replaceable, but fear repercussions if it goes wrong.
“That combination is exactly how you get a workforce that uses AI recklessly. Many organisations are accelerating AI adoption without providing the training, policies and support employees need to use these tools effectively.
“The companies that close this gap will be best positioned to unlock AI’s full capabilities while building a more productive and confident workforce.”
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