Australian workers keen on AI but lack corporate support & skills

Research by Miro indicates a significant gap between the enthusiasm of Australian employees for artificial intelligence (AI) and the level of organisational support provided to integrate AI in the workplace.

The study, which surveyed 1,000 knowledge workers in Australia as part of a larger global sample, found that while 76% believe AI could benefit their roles, only 29% rate their own AI knowledge as 'expert' or 'good'. More than half describe their skills as 'weak' or 'nonexistent'.

The appetite to embrace AI is strong among the workforce. According to the findings, 67% of workers intend to develop further AI skills this year and 57% say they feel 'excited' or 'energised' by the potential of AI. Additionally, 58% believe AI can improve wellbeing in the workplace, and 59% agree it can enhance job satisfaction.

Barriers to progress

Despite high levels of interest, many workers are struggling to move from enthusiasm to effective implementation. The research highlights a shortage of time and resources as major obstacles, with 52% reporting they lack the capacity to fully leverage AI at work.

Concerns about lagging behind in AI skills are prevalent, with nearly a quarter of workers (24%) admitting to exaggerating their AI abilities at work, and 31% choosing to downplay their usage of AI tools. A significant proportion (25%) have felt that using AI was akin to 'cheating'.

Asked about company initiatives that would support AI engagement, 48% of workers identified the need for formal training. Just over a third (38%) said they wanted clearer company strategies on AI adoption, while the same proportion highlighted the need for more communication about the potential business benefits of AI.

Disconnect between workers and management

The report points to a disconnect between the positive attitudes of employees and the realities of corporate AI implementation in Australia. While 42% of respondents said there was 'lots of talk' about AI at their companies but little concrete action, 38% noted that their employers often abandon AI efforts. For more than half the respondents (54%), uncertainty about when and how to use AI remains an issue.

Jeff Chow, Chief Product and Technology Officer at Miro, said: "AI will drive a renaissance of creative problem-solving in organisations and promote unprecedented levels of innovation. There is an appetite amongst corporates to leverage AI, and the research shows this appetite is matched by employees who understand the importance of incorporating AI to their roles. But there is a clear divide on the steps necessary to drive AI transformation. The misalignment between company investment and employee excitement points to a huge missed opportunity for true organisational change and innovation acceleration."

Chow further stated, "AI is moving fast and it's easy for organisations to be distracted by buzzwords and unrealistic expectations. In reality, many AI solutions are not user-friendly enough for all knowledge workers, and they are difficult to deploy at scale and in a consistent way. Leaders should therefore stay focused on moving from platform rollout to process adoption, and ensuring their teams are equipped for the shift this will require. This means upskilling people, prioritising process value and deployment, and implementing product integrations for maximum ease of access and repeatability. AI transformation should feel like a full team effort."

Generational divide

The survey uncovered a notable generational divide in attitudes and adoption of AI. Despite often being described as digital natives, 45% of Gen Z knowledge workers in Australia report not using AI at all, compared to 35% of Millennials. Gen Z workers are also more likely to rate their AI skills as 'nonexistent' (43% of Gen Z versus 35% of Millennials). Looking ahead, 63% of Gen Z respondents expect their AI usage to increase this year, compared to 78% of Millennials, and only 60% of Gen Z plan to pursue further AI training against 68% of Millennials.

The data was gathered from more than 8,000 knowledge workers globally across the United States, France, Germany, Japan, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom, in addition to Australia. The survey population spanned a range of industries and company sizes.

The findings suggest that while Australian employees have a strong interest in developing AI skills and incorporating AI tools into their work, corporate strategies and support mechanisms may not yet be keeping pace with their needs or expectations.