83% of Workers Fear Being Fired for AI Mistakes as Pressure to Use Workplace Bots Intensifies

AI in the Workplace Creates Productivity Gains Amid Growing Fear

A new GoTo report conducted with Workplace Intelligence has exposed a troubling paradox in AI adoption. While employees using AI save an average of 2.3 hours per day, 83% worry they could be blamed or even fired for AI mistakes1

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. The study surveyed 2,500 global workers and IT leaders between November 2025 and January 2026 across the US, Canada, UK, Ireland, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, India, Mexico and Brazil, comprising 1,250 full-time knowledge workers and 1,250 IT decision-makers2

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. This anxiety is already affecting AI adoption, with nearly a third (31%) of employees hesitating to use AI over fears of repercussions3

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Pressure to Use Workplace Bots Drives Reckless Behavior

The research reveals that 60% of employees feel pressured to use AI to increase their productivity1

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. Nearly half (47%) say AI use is considered during their performance reviews, and 42% would rather risk making errors with AI than look "slow" or "replaceable"2

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. This pressure is partly driven by concerns about job obsolescence. A recent Gallup poll showed 27% of U.S. workers fear technology could make their jobs obsolete, a concern that has risen swiftly since 2021 and is now the top job worry among workers under 451

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. Dan Schawbel, Managing Partner at Workplace Intelligence, noted: "We're seeing a new kind of workplace pressure: employees feel they must use AI to avoid looking replaceable, but fear repercussions if it goes wrong. That combination is exactly how you get a workforce that uses AI recklessly"3

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AI Mistakes Already Causing Financial Damage and Customer Impact

The fears surrounding AI mistakes are not unfounded. About 1 in 4 IT leaders say AI has already made mistakes that negatively affected customers or clients (25%) or financially impacted their company (23%)4

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. Even among organizations yet to experience such adverse impacts, 91% of IT leaders are concerned that an AI mistake could affect their company in the future2

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. The financial stakes are substantial. Rich Veldran, CEO of GoTo, stated: "In the US alone, there's an opportunity for more than $2.9 trillion in potential efficiency gains to be captured from effective AI use. But without clear guardrails, that potential is being eroded by anxiety, misuse, and unaddressed risk"4

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Lack of Company Guidelines Leaves Employees Without Support

The challenge is particularly acute for smaller organizations. Only 24% of small businesses and 36% of midsize companies have an AI policy in place, compared to 53% of enterprises3

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. This leaves the majority of small and midsize business employees without clear guidance on how to use these tools safely. Even when AI policies exist, 84% of workers feel their company could be doing more to encourage responsible AI use2

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. As a result, 55% admit they don't always review or double-check AI outputs, even for high-stakes tasks, and 43% have used AI outputs even though they felt they were low quality or suspected they might contain errors or fabricated information4

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Workers Use AI to Dodge Accountability While Others Stay Silent

The research uncovered troubling patterns in how employees are navigating this uncertainty. About 26% say using AI lets them avoid any real accountability at work, 25% find it safer to blame AI than admit an error, and 17% have already blamed AI for a mistake they made2

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. At times, pressure to use AI and silence concerns comes directly from supervisors. Nearly a third (31%) report unspoken pressure at work to trust AI and keep quiet about its mistakes1

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. Alarmingly, 14% have reported AI errors to a manager or leader but were told to stay quiet about them4

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Small Businesses Rush Into Agentic AI Without Proper Preparation

The readiness gap is particularly visible as companies adopt agentic AI. While 46% of small businesses are already using or piloting agentic AI systems, compared with 70% of enterprises, 38% of SMB IT leaders feel unprepared to manage them securely—more than double the enterprise rate of 14%2

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. This gap in responsible AI deployment poses significant risks as automation becomes more sophisticated.

Human Skills Become Critical in AI-Driven Workplace

As routine work becomes increasingly automated, more than half (52%) of employees identified creative thinking and adaptability as the most important human skills to retain2

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. Companies that invest in these skills alongside AI adoption will be positioned to maximize AI's value. Veldran emphasized: "The organizations that close the gap with clear accountability structures, employee training, and policies that give employees confidence won't just speed adoption, they'll be the ones who pull ahead"4

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. The research makes clear that without proper governance, the productivity booster that AI promises could instead become a source of workflow mistakes, eroded trust, and missed opportunities across organizations of all sizes.