A growing number of employees say they would welcome artificial intelligence in leadership roles, believing it could make the workplace fairer and more efficient — even though most still want human managers to handle emotional and ethical decisions.
That’s according to the results of a survey of nearly 1,000 US workers carried out by career tools firm Resume Now. It found that 66 percent of respondents believed AI-led management would improve fairness and efficiency, while 55 percent said algorithms could make better promotion decisions than people.
As organisations increasingly rely on AI to help with hiring, performance reviews and even layoffs, researchers say employees are warming to the idea of machines taking a more central role in decision-making, particularly with logic-based tasks.
Where AI leadership earns trust
The report suggests employees see potential in AI to reduce bias, standardise feedback and improve the consistency of managerial decisions. Some 73 percent supported the idea of AI having a say in major company decisions such as hiring and budgeting. Just over half, 54 percent, said they trusted AI to set fair performance goals or manage projects efficiently.
This growing trust in algorithmic leadership reflects wider use of AI tools in the workplace, from scheduling and monitoring to generative software that drafts reports or summaries. Workers may be responding to what they see as the objectivity of AI, especially compared to human managers, who can be swayed by emotion or unconscious bias.
Human empathy ‘still matters’
Despite the optimism, workers drew a firm line regarding the emotional and interpersonal side of leadership.
Only 34 percent said they would prefer to report to an AI manager, while 62 percent still favoured a human boss. A majority said only humans could provide motivation (64 percent), empathy (57 percent) or navigate morally complex decisions (53 percent).
Trust, in this context, appears conditional. Just 19 percent said they would trust an AI system to resolve workplace conflicts. And more than a third (37 percent) expressed concern about AI’s lack of empathy in leadership roles, while 29 percent feared it would make the workplace feel more impersonal or stressful.
The findings echo earlier research suggesting that while employees welcome AI as a support tool, they don’t want to lose the human connection in their professional relationships. Analysts say emotional intelligence, coaching and team-building remain core leadership skills that machines cannot replicate.
Transparency and surveillance concerns
The use of AI in workplace monitoring has grown sharply, with 94 percent of respondents saying their current role included some form of digital oversight. Most were comfortable with this when used to support productivity — 69 percent said they were fine with AI monitoring under those conditions — but concerns remained.
A total of 39 percent worried about how their data might be used or misused by AI tools. At the same time, a large majority (85 percent) said greater transparency around how AI was used in their company would improve their trust in the employer.
It comes as regulators in both the US and Europe consider tighter rules around the use of artificial intelligence in employment decisions, particularly to address issues of bias, fairness and accountability.
Not a full takeover but a hybrid future
The researchers say employees are not calling for machines to replace managers. Instead, they want a more structured and fair workplace where AI handles data-driven tasks and people focus on leadership qualities such as inspiration and guidance.
One in three workers (34 percent) said they would be open to reporting to an AI manager, while 28 percent believed such systems could outperform humans in some areas. Only 5 percent said there would be no real difference.
The appetite for AI in leadership appears highest where workers feel systems are transparent, data is accurate and technology is used to support, not control. The challenge for employers will be integrating AI in ways that build trust and improve workplace outcomes without sacrificing the human elements of leadership.
The survey was conducted on 18 June 2025 and included responses from 968 US workers. Participants were asked about their attitudes to AI in the workplace, including leadership, monitoring and support functions, as well as their comfort with current and potential uses of the technology.
