Employees are increasingly using artificial intelligence tools without formal approval at work, with new research suggesting workplace demand for AI is growing faster than many organisations’ ability to govern its use.
A survey of office professionals found that two-thirds had used AI tools or services at work despite believing that doing so was not permitted under company policy. The findings point to a growing disconnect between employee adoption of AI and the rules employers have put in place to manage it.
The research, conducted by AI operations company PagerDuty, also found that workers are becoming increasingly frustrated by restrictions on AI use, with many viewing access to the technology as important for their future career development.
Data security concerns grow
The survey found that 88 percent of office professionals had shared work-related information with public AI tools such as ChatGPT, Claude or Gemini. Among those respondents, 43 percent said they had shared emails or other correspondence, while 40 percent had uploaded meeting notes or summaries.
More concerningly, 34 percent reported sharing customer information and 31 percent said they had entered financial information or confidential company documents and strategies into public AI platforms.
The findings suggest many organisations face a challenge in balancing employee demand for AI tools with concerns about data security, privacy and compliance.
Tim Armandpour, chief technology officer at PagerDuty, warned that the growing use of public AI tools was creating new risks for employers.
“When over 30% of employees are putting confidential company data into public models, ‘Shadow AI’ becomes a massive enterprise liability.”
He said organisations should focus on providing employees with secure alternatives rather than attempting to block AI adoption altogether.
“The goal for any executive today should not be to slow down AI adoption, but to redirect that energy into proven platforms that offer governance and automation at scale.”
Employees want more AI opportunities
The research suggests that restrictions on AI use may also be creating retention challenges.
More than three-quarters of respondents said company policies were limiting their professional growth or career mobility, while 75 percent said they would consider moving to an employer offering better opportunities to develop AI skills.
The figure rose to 80 percent among employees working for organisations with annual revenues of more than $1 billion.
The survey also found that many employees believe they are ahead of their employers in understanding AI. Nearly three-quarters said they knew more about AI than their own technology teams, rising to 80 percent at larger organisations.
Meanwhile, 81 percent believed senior leaders operated under different AI rules from the rest of the workforce.
Personal use drives workplace adoption
The findings suggest that AI adoption is often beginning outside the workplace before being brought into professional settings.
Nearly nine in 10 respondents who use AI at work said they first encountered the technology in their personal lives. Once adopted, AI use appears to become more work-focused, with 79 percent reporting that they use AI more often for their job than at home.
The results point to a growing challenge for employers as AI becomes increasingly embedded in everyday work. While organisations continue to develop governance frameworks and policies, employees appear to be embracing the technology regardless, raising questions about how businesses can encourage innovation while maintaining appropriate safeguards.
The survey questioned 1,250 office professionals in non-technology roles across the UK, United States, Australia and Japan. All respondents worked for organisations with annual revenues of at least $500 million.
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
