More than half of employees are actively avoiding artificial intelligence tools at work, choosing to complete tasks manually instead, even as organisations continue to invest heavily in the technology.
That’s according to data showing that 54 percent of workers bypassed AI tools at least once in the past month, while a further 33 percent have not used them at all. Rather than struggling with new systems, many appear to be rejecting them outright.
The figures expose a disparity between the pace of AI rollout and how work is actually being carried out, with employees continuing to rely on familiar methods instead of adopting new tools.
Employees turn away from AI
The data comes from a State of Digital Adoption 2026 report by WalkMe, a software company that helps organisations improve how employees use workplace technology, based on a global survey of 3,750 workers and executives at large organisations.
The gap between leadership expectations and employee behaviour is becoming increasingly pronounced. While executives report strong confidence in AI’s ability to improve productivity, workers are continuing to rely on traditional approaches.
Trust appears to be a key factor. Only 9 percent of employees said they would rely on AI for complex or business-critical decisions, compared with 61 percent of executives.
Dan Adika, chief executive and co-founder of WalkMe, said the issue centred on how AI was being introduced rather than what it could do.
“The problem is not AI’s capability. The technology will keep improving,” he said. “What won’t improve on its own is the human side: the trust gap, the governance gap, the question of who acts, when and with what guardrails. That’s what this data is really showing. And that problem doesn’t go away as AI gets smarter. It gets harder.”
Manual work persists
The continued reliance on manual work suggests that many AI tools are not yet embedded into everyday workflows. Employees appear to be reverting to established processes rather than navigating systems they find unclear or inefficient.
Executives, by contrast, report strong confidence in AI-driven productivity gains. More than eight in ten said AI had significantly improved output, even as employees reported losing nearly eight hours each week dealing with digital frustrations.
That weekly loss amounts to almost one full working day, contributing to an annual total of 51 days lost to technology-related issues.
UK businesses ‘struggle’ with AI
Difficulties in adopting AI are not limited to individual workplaces. Separate analysis by professional services firm PwC and cited by The Times suggests UK businesses are also lagging behind global competitors in making effective use of the technology.
The research found British companies spend less on AI and generate lower returns than leading firms internationally, while many have failed to redesign workflows or modernise legacy systems to support it.
Leigh Bates, global risk AI leader at PwC UK, said many organisations were limiting the impact of AI through underinvestment and a narrow focus on cost reduction.
“Businesses are being held back by legacy technology, underinvestment and a tendency to think about AI as a cost-cutting tool rather than an engine of growth,” he was quoted as saying. “The companies getting the biggest returns from AI globally aren’t just doing more of the same; they are reinventing their businesses. UK firms need to match that ambition.”
He added that many firms were “stuck between piloting and scaling, between cutting costs and creating growth. The next 12 months will determine whether the UK becomes an AI leader or is left in the middle of the pack”.
Shadow AI use grows
As official tools fail to gain traction, employees are increasingly turning to unauthorised alternatives. Nearly half of workers reported using AI tools not approved by their employer in the past month, in some cases involving confidential data.
Keith Kirkpatrick of research firm The Futurum Group said the behaviour reflected underlying gaps in workplace systems.
“When employees use unapproved AI tools, they’re compensating for performance or efficiency gaps left by sanctioned tools and unclear governance,” he said.
“Organisations that close this gap by equipping AI with real-time context, cross-application reach, and robust guardrails will ultimately realise the strongest return on their AI investments.”
William Furney is a Managing Editor at Black and White Trading Ltd based in Kingston upon Hull, UK. He is a prolific author and contributor at Workplace Wellbeing Professional, with over 127 published posts covering HR, employee engagement, and workplace wellbeing topics. His writing focuses on contemporary employment issues including pension schemes, employee health, financial struggles affecting workers, and broader workplace trends.
- William Furney
- William Furney
- William Furney
- William Furney
