What to know
- 43% of Canadian workers say they feel guilty using AI to produce work.
- More than half of Gen Z workers (56%) report feeling guilty using AI on the job.
- One-third (34%) admit hiding their AI use from their employer.
- More than half (51%) say their employer offers little or no AI training, leaving many to learn through social media.
Artificial intelligence is becoming a routine part of many workplaces, but a new report suggests many Canadians still feel uneasy about using it.
According to Employment Hero’s newly released AI Paradox Report, 43 per cent of Canadian workers say they feel guilty using AI to produce work, while 39 per cent believe relying on the technology feels like cheating.
The feeling is especially common among younger workers, with 56 per cent of Gen Z respondents saying they experience guilt when using AI on the job.
The report also found that many employees aren’t being transparent about their AI use. More than one-third (34 per cent) said they hide their use of AI from their employer, while 45 per cent of businesses believe employees are using personal AI accounts at work, a practice the report refers to as “shadow AI.”
Many workers say they’re teaching themselves AI
The findings suggest many workers are navigating AI without much workplace guidance.
Just 41 per cent of respondents said they believe they have the AI skills needed for an AI-driven labour market, while 60 per cent rated their own AI competence as low to average.
More than half (51 per cent) said their employer does little or nothing to help employees develop AI skills. Instead, 58 per cent said they’ve learned how to use AI through social media.
Chris Pinkerton, managing director of Employment Hero Canada, said the issue isn’t whether workers are adopting AI, but whether they feel comfortable using it openly.
“This research shows that Canada’s challenge isn’t AI adoption—it’s AI confidence,” Pinkerton said.
“Workers already recognize AI is becoming an essential workplace skill, but many still feel they need to hide using it because they don’t have clear guidance or confidence in what’s acceptable.”
Pinkerton said employers have an opportunity to create clearer expectations around how AI should be used, encourage employees to discuss AI use openly and invest in AI literacy as the technology becomes a larger part of everyday work.
The findings come as the federal government continues promoting AI adoption and literacy through its AI for All strategy, with businesses expected to play an increasingly important role in helping employees use AI responsibly.
Employment Hero surveyed Canadian workers and businesses for its AI Paradox Report. The company did not specify the survey’s sample size or margin of error in the materials provided.
