One in five (21%) has even lied about their knowledge of AI. The increased pressure causes employees to seek support within their network of colleagues and other work peers. Three-quarters say that AI is not a replacement for human intuition and the insights they gain from them.
From promise to side job
AI made its entrance as a means to make work smarter and easier. Now that the experimental phase is over, it turns out that understanding and implementing AI has become an additional burden for many professionals. The LinkedIn research among 1,000 Dutch professionals shows that 34% feel overwhelmed by how quickly they need to "understand" AI. And although a majority (55%) is optimistic about the possibilities that AI offers to improve daily work, the lack of knowledge about AI among a quarter of professionals (25%) causes shame, and 31% say they are nervous about talking about AI at work for fear of coming across as ignorant.
The uncertain feelings of professionals are not unfounded. LinkedIn data shows that employers are increasing the pressure: more than half (52%) of Dutch managers plan to weigh employees' AI skills in evaluations or recruitment processes, and more than a third (35%) of professionals say they are expected to apply AI in their work.
Real people over AI
Interestingly, employees are turning to their network for making important work decisions in the AI era. Although AI tools are increasingly used to gather information and enhance productivity, they have not yet replaced the human judgment of colleagues, mentors, and trusted experts.
Almost half (49%) trust advice from their professional network the most when making important work decisions, followed by friends and family (35%) and a manager or supervisor (30%). 59% say that support from colleagues helps them make decisions faster and with more certainty. Moreover, 8 out of 10 (84%) managers in the Netherlands agree that making good business decisions still depends on human judgment.
'I know how challenging it can be to combine your daily responsibilities with the pressure to quickly develop AI skills. But I also believe that there is a lot of potential in that pressure,' says Marcel Molenaar, Country Manager Benelux at LinkedIn. 'AI gives us all access to information, but information alone doesn't get you further. It's the combination of knowledge, experience, and the insights of people you trust that truly makes a difference. They help you to adapt to change and make your own choices. I always try to be open about what I don't know, I ask targeted questions, and consciously seek help from people in my network. That makes learning not only more effective but also a lot more human.'
