Hailed as the future of work, artificial intelligence (AI) is experiencing a noticeable dip in enthusiasm among Australian employees. According to the 2025 Randstad Employer Brand Research (REBR), perceptions of AI are shifting—and not necessarily for the better.
While technology continues to reshape how we work, employers need to pause and ask: are our people on board with the changes we’re implementing? Do they know what is expected of them and how to achieve results using AI?
This blog explores what the latest data tells us about AI in the Australian workplace, why employee sentiment is cooling, and how organisations can rebuild confidence and connection around AI adoption.
what the data tells us
REBR 2025 reveals several key trends about AI usage and perception:
- Regular AI usage has declined, from 25% of employees in 2024 to 21% in 2025.
- Daily usage among Millennials has halved, dropping from 13% to just 7%.
- Only 42% of employees now view AI positively, down from 47% the year prior.
- 55% believe AI will have little to no impact on their job—unchanged from 2024.
This data tells a clear story: AI adoption in the workplace has hit a plateau, and optimism is fading.
the decline in daily use
The most striking shift comes from Millennials and Gen Z—generations typically seen as tech-savvy and innovation-friendly. The research shows that while occasional AI use has slightly increased, daily reliance is falling.
Instead of becoming embedded in daily workflows, AI tools are being used sporadically or not at all. The question is, why?
While many organisations have made AI tools such as Google’s Gemini or Microsoft’s Co-Pilot available to employees, after a period of initial enthusiasm, workers are now questioning how they use these tools in their work sustainably every day. Some workers may find the AI clunky or not intuitive. Others may feel it doesn’t add enough value to justify the time or effort. There are also lingering concerns about privacy, job displacement, and upskilling needs that need to be considered.
According to the study, these sentiments are especially prevalent in workers working in non-digital roles, where employees are more likely to say that AI has little relevance to their day-to-day work.
perception vs. potential
The research data highlights a widening gap between the potential of AI and the perception of its value by Australian workers. This is a critical problem for organisations looking to realise the promised benefits of AI tools in their workforce.
When your workers view AI as irrelevant to their jobs, complicated to use, or even threatening to them, they will resist its adoption. And that resistance can slow business transformation, hinder productivity benefits realisation, and diminish trust in the organisation’s leadership.
Even among Digital workers —who are generally more positive about AI—6% fear job loss. These anxieties, even when in the minority, can ripple across teams.
why are employees experiencing AI fatigue?
Based on insights from Randstad and broader workplace and industry trends, several themes emerge:
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1. overhyped expectations:
Many workers were promised radical time savings or simplified workflows that haven’t materialised for all workers.
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2. lack of training:
Employees may have access to tools, but do not have the necessary skills or confidence to use them effectively or know where to use them effectively in their workflow.
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3. fear of replacement:
Conversations about AI is linked to job loss in public discourse, especially in operational roles, leading workers to question - what if AI displaces my job?
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4. unclear value:
If AI feels like a solution in search of a problem, employees tune out.
AI fatigue isn’t about resistance to change—it’s about needing better change management.
the risk for employers
Failing to address AI fatigue doesn’t just waste investment—it can also lead to the erosion of organisational culture. If AI initiatives are perceived as poorly explained or not people-centred, they risk:
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lower engagement:
Employees feel disconnected from the strategic goals of AI integration.
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reduced innovation:
Teams become reluctant to experiment with AI or adopt new technologies.
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weakened employer value proposition (EVP):
Potential talent may become wary of tech-driven workplaces where they don’t see human benefit.
how to rebuild confidence in AI
There is a way forward. Organisations that successfully integrate AI do so not through just making the tech available, but doing so with transparency, training, and trust. Here's how you can shift from AI implementation to AI enablement:
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1. reframe the narrative
- Position AI as a supportive, complementary tool, not a replacement.
- Highlight examples where AI has improved team outcomes and efficiency or led to better customer experiences.
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2. provide practical, role-based training
- Go beyond generic webinars—tailor training to job types, tasks and use real-world people-led examples of usage, specific to your organisation.
- Encourage hands-on experimentation in a safe, feedback-rich environment.
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3. involve your people
- Gather feedback on tool usability and barriers to adoption.
- Involve teams in co-creating new processes that integrate AI—especially those most affected by the change.
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4. put humans at the centre
- Use AI to eliminate tasks that most workers dislike - like repetitive, but necessary administration and free up time for the tasks that your teams enjoy - creative, strategic or relational work.
- Keep human decision-making central—especially where judgment, ethics or empathy are key.
AI has a place—but it needs a reset
The Randstad Employer Brand Research makes one thing clear: employees are not anti-AI—they’re waiting to be taught and convinced. And that’s an opportunity.
Leaders who invest in people-first technology adoption, grounded in communication, upskilling and reskilling, will see the greatest returns—not just in productivity, but in loyalty and innovation.
By focusing on real-world impact, relevance to specific roles, and how AI supports people, leaders can renew engagement and unlock the productivity benefits that technology promises.
final thoughts: lead the change, don’t push it
lead with purpose, not pressure
AI adoption in Australia isn’t failing—it’s stalling. But with the right support, it can accelerate and truly achieve its potential to supercharge productivity. Not by pushing harder, but by leading smartly.
Because at the end of the day, technology doesn’t transform workplaces—people do. Equip your teams to use AI confidently, ethically and creatively, and you’ll unlock the real benefits of AI in the workplace and your organisation’s digital transformation.
