[DATA] 77% of employees think they can do their job better than AI
Employees Doubt AI Can Outperform Them Despite Wider Workplace Adoption, Workera Survey Finds
Most employees at large U.S. companies do not believe artificial intelligence can perform their jobs better than they can, even as employers expand AI training and workplace use of the technology.
A survey commissioned by skills-management platform Workera found that 76.6% of respondents said AI could not do their job better than they could. Similarly, 78.1% said AI could currently handle 30% or less of their work.
The findings come as companies report increasing progress toward AI adoption. In Workera’s comparison with a similar 2025 survey, the share of respondents who said their employer was on track for an AI-enabled future rose to 80.1% from 66.9%. The portion reporting that their company offers AI-specific training increased to 58.3% from 24.8%, while those using AI tools multiple times a week rose to 67.8% from 39.9%.
However, the survey points to a gap between access to AI tools and support for workers expected to develop related skills. Fifty-six percent of respondents said they receive no time during working hours to build AI capabilities, and 43% cited a lack of relevant training materials. Eighty-four percent said they spend five hours or less a week on skills development overall.
Workera said nearly 60% of respondents viewed AI skills as either weighted equally with other capabilities or not prioritized in decisions involving assignments and promotions.
The survey also found broader concerns about career development and skills assessment. Forty-three percent said they had missed an opportunity or promotion because their skills were misjudged. While 41% said they would opt into continuous skills measurement if they controlled the resulting data, 31% were unsure and 28% said they would not participate.
Employees continue to place greater weight on human involvement in development, according to the report. Half said they receive sufficient coaching to advance their careers, but only 27% reported receiving regular individual coaching from a manager or executive, defined as at least several days a week. Twenty-two percent said they never receive one-on-one coaching.
Workera surveyed 1,000 full-time salaried professionals at U.S. organizations with at least 5,000 employees in July 2026 through Pollfish. Its year-over-year comparisons use a March 2025 Pollfish survey of 800 workers meeting the same criteria.