Nearly Half of Employees Told to Use AI Are Quietly Resisting

Posted on in Workplace

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Companies are rolling out AI at speed, but many employees are not feeling the benefit personally. Gartner surveyed nearly 12,000 employees in the first quarter of 2026 and found that fewer than 35% report good levels of overall wellness. Among workers who have been asked to use AI at work, 47% say they have resisted adopting it.

Good for the Company, Less So for Me

The research points to a perception gap. Many employees believe AI has helped their organization, but they are much less convinced it has helped them. That gap may explain some of the foot-dragging: it is hard to be enthusiastic about a tool that seems to improve the quarterly report more than your Tuesday. Other 2026 data paint a similar picture. Glassdoor recorded a 65% year-over-year rise in burnout in the first quarter, Monster found 59% of respondents felt their jobs were actively hurting their mental health, and Workday found 33% rarely or never talk with coworkers beyond basic work topics, while 14% took time off in the past year because of loneliness or isolation.

Turning the Tool Toward Wellbeing

Gartner's suggestion is to point AI at the problem it may be feeding. Nicole Paripurana, senior principal analyst in Gartner's HR practice, said organizations can use AI to identify unhealthy work patterns and that the future of AI at work is not only about productivity. The research lists signals AI could pick up:

  • Frequent context-switching.
  • Signs of exclusion.
  • Shifts in communication tone.
  • Early signs of disengagement.

Instead of relying on periodic surveys, companies could spot burnout risks earlier and tailor support to individual preferences, from meeting tolerance and connection preferences to opt-in stress signals and personalized wellbeing nudges. Of course, an algorithm watching your tone will only build wellness if employees trust how it is used, which brings the conversation back to the trust gap the survey uncovered in the first place.

Source: Gartner HR Research Reveals Fewer Than 35% of Employees Report Good Levels of Overall Wellness