AI may be helping employees get more work done, but for many, the technology is also creating a new concern: dependence.
A new workplace study by GoTo and published by Storyboard18 found that half of employees surveyed felt they relied too heavily on artificial intelligence tools, while 39 percent believed that excessive dependence on AI was reducing their skills and making them feel less intelligent. The findings were part of the company’s “Pulse of Work 2026” report, based on responses from 2,500 employees and IT leaders globally.
The report showed AI delivering productivity gains, but also raising concerns around how employees are using the technology. Around 30 percent of respondents said they felt they could not function without AI tools. Employees also said there was increasing pressure to adopt AI in workplaces, with 60 percent reporting that they felt expected to use the technology to improve productivity.
Rich Veldran, chief executive officer of GoTo, said employees spend an estimated 2.6 hours each day on tasks that AI could potentially handle. However, he also said many workers were not fully utilising AI’s capabilities, with 80 percent admitting they were not using AI to its full potential and 69 percent saying they were unfamiliar with practical applications in their roles.
The study found younger employees expressing greater concerns over AI dependence.
Nearly half of Gen Z respondents, or 46 percent, said relying too much on AI was making them less intelligent. The survey also found that 50 percent of Gen Z employees believed overdependence on AI could hurt long-term career prospects.
