Helping Your Team Build Confidence with AI
How comfortable is your team really feeling about using AI at work?
Excited?
Anxious?
A mix of both?
A recent study shows just how deeply AI has already embedded itself into everyday work life—and how many mixed emotions still surround it.
Today, four out of five employees use some form of AI tool in their daily tasks. More than half regularly rely on AI assistants to save time and boost productivity. But that doesn’t automatically mean everyone feels confident using them.
Some staff worry that leaning on AI will make them look lazy or unreliable. Others feel they’re being watched or judged when AI becomes part of their workflow.
It’s an unusual dilemma: people trust AI to help them—but they don’t always trust how their colleagues will react to them using it.
The reality is that AI exists to support us. It’s meant to act as a partner: something that frees us to focus on strategy, problem‑solving, and creativity—the areas humans excel.
But for AI to deliver these benefits, people need to feel comfortable and confident with it. And that’s where many businesses are slipping behind.
Only one in three employees say they’ve received any formal AI training. Most are left to figure things out themselves, which naturally leads to uncertainty, hesitation, and the occasional misstep.
Managers generally feel more confident—around 70%—but that number drops sharply among junior staff, with only about a third sharing that confidence.
So how do you fix this?
Like most things, it begins with culture. Business leaders need to create an environment where trying new tools—including AI—is encouraged rather than criticised.
Remind your people that using AI isn’t “cheating”; it’s working smarter.
Offer learning opportunities—formal training sessions, internal workshops, or casual “show and tell” demos where team members share how they’re using AI to improve their work.
AI confidence doesn’t develop overnight. But when people feel supported, trusted, and free to experiment, they’re far more likely to embrace these tools. And that’s when you start seeing real benefits: greater efficiency, improved creativity, and a team ready for the future of work.
If you’re unsure where to start or want tailored support for your business, contact GZD for practical guidance on improving AI adoption and strengthening your business’s overall IT strategy.
