- Two-thirds (63%) of workers exaggerate their AI skills, creating an AI trust gap.
- The hype is driven by fear of job loss, with 69% concerned that AI could automate their role.
- 64% believe employers have never verified workers’ AI skills; employees want more clarity
New GCheck data has uncovered an emerging “AI confidence gap” in workplaces, where employees publicly claim to be highly proficient in AI, but behind closed doors they lack confidence in their own abilities.
Two in three (63%) workers admit to having exaggerated or exaggerated their AI skills to project an appearance of greater knowledge in hopes of being more worthy of employment or promotions.
Surprisingly, this is highest among Gen Z workers, where four in five (80%) admit to exaggerating, suggesting that younger employees may be feeling pressure to appear more AI-ready than their peers.
There is more than one reason to lie.
“Workers face a new kind of career pressure where appearing capable of using AI feels increasingly tied to employability and job security,” said CEO Houman Akhavan.
Only one in three (34%) workers believe they could confidently perform all the AI-related skills they claim to have, and the lies extend far beyond the CV.
Many admit to speaking confidently about AI in meetings (40%) so as not to be left behind, letting colleagues assume they have more skills than them (33%), taking credit for AI-assisted work as entirely their own (25%), volunteering for AI-related tasks they were not technically qualified for (18%), or admitting to outright lying about AI experience (16%).
Given that three-quarters (76%) say they are only exaggerating because they intend to learn those skills over time, it’s clear that employees only view themselves as liars temporarily. A similar number (70%) also believe that others in the industry also exaggerate, normalizing the behavior.
Fear is as much to blame as other race-backed reasons
However, GCheck says workers don’t necessarily lie to get a better job or a promotion. Many also lie out of fear: 69% are worried that AI could automate parts of their current role within two years. More than half (52%) also fear appearing less competitive in the event of layoffs, and 46% fear being fired if they do not develop AI skills.
Fear is also evident in workplace behavior: half (53%) deliberately choose manual methods over AI and 24% dismiss AI tools as unhelpful, even when they help.
“That disconnect creates risks for organizations and uncertainty for employees trying to keep up with rapid change,” Akhavan added.
The findings also imply that managers may not be aware of the lies, as 64% of workers say their employers have never attempted to verify their AI skills. About half (47%) of workers are now asking for clearer explanations about how AI is used during hiring. Additionally, around one in three (29%) say that if their employers were transparent about skills verification, they would be more honest about their skills.
As the report hints at a workplace where employees fear becoming obsolete, it’s clear that a cultural shift is needed to normalize the adoption of AI and reassure workers that, with the right skills, they will remain relevant.
“Automation anxiety is not just about job loss. It is reshaping behavior, distorting skill signals, and challenging the credibility of the modern workforce,” the report concludes.
Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to receive news, reviews and opinions from our experts in your feeds.
