‘AI shame’ is a real phenomenon in the workplace, claims report; what may be 'scaring' top execs in America

A new survey from

WalkMe

, an SAP company, reveals a striking paradox in the modern workplace: The employees who use AI the most—top executives and Gen Z workers—are also the least likely to receive official guidance, training, or company approval for their use. The findings from the 2025 AI in the Workplace survey suggest that a phenomenon dubbed "

AI shame

" is taking hold. The annual survey polled 1,000 working U.S. adults who use AI in their jobs to understand the reality of AI adoption. Nearly half of all workers surveyed (48.8%) admitted to hiding their use of AI on the job to avoid judgment. This discomfort is particularly pronounced at the top, with 53.4% of C-suite leaders confessing they conceal their AI habits, despite being the most frequent users.x`Almost half (45%) of workers admit to pretending to know how to use an AI tool in a meeting to avoid scrutiny, while 49% have hidden their use of AI to avoid judgment. This trend is even more pronounced among Gen Z, with 55.5% pretending to understand AI tools and 62% hiding their use.

What makes Gen Z anxious about AI

Gen Z workers show both enthusiasm and anxiety regarding AI. A notable 62.6% of Gen Zers have used AI to complete work but then pretended it was their own, the highest rate among any generation. Over half (55.4%) have feigned understanding of AI in meetings.Despite this widespread use—89.2% of Gen Z employees use AI at work -- they report receiving the least amount of support. Only 6.8% have received extensive, time-consuming AI training, and 13.5% received none at all. This lack of formal guidance has led 89.2% of them to use tools not provided or sanctioned by their employers."Companies are not educating enough about this whole thing," said Sharon Bernstein, WalkMe's Chief Human Resources Officer, in an interview with Fortune. She noted that companies are failing to facilitate the use of AI tools or guide their employees effectively.

AI 'Class Divide' and Productivity Dilemma

The survey also points to an "AI class divide," where access to training and guidance increases with rank. Only 3.7% of entry-level employees receive substantial training, compared to 17.1% of C-level executives. This leaves the most frequent users, junior and younger staff, to navigate the new technology on their own, risking a growing knowledge gap.While 80% of employees believe AI has boosted their productivity, a significant number are struggling. Almost 60% confessed to spending more time trying to manage AI tools than it would have taken to do the work themselves.Gen Z is particularly affected by this paradox:* 65.3% say AI slows them down, the highest among all age groups.* 68% feel pressure to produce more work because of it.* Nearly one in three are deeply anxious about AI's impact on their jobs.This disconnect between corporate hype and on-the-ground reality fits into a broader picture of chaotic AI implementation. For instance, a recent MIT study found a staggering 95% failure rate for generative AI pilot programs at large enterprises, suggesting a significant gap between the theory of AI and its practical application.