Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google.
ZDNET’s key takeaways
- Over half of office workers in the U.S. identify as AI skeptics.
- Workers in developing nations place greater confidence in AI, seeing it as a tool for advancing their careers.
- U.S. skepticism isn’t just about job security—it also stems from limited hands-on experience with AI tools.
According to a global survey by Salesforce and YouGov involving more than 1,500 desk workers across four continents, American employees are 43% more likely than the global average to distrust AI. These workers define their roles as primarily cognitive rather than physical or routine-based.
More than 50% of U.S. workers label themselves as AI skeptics—a figure notably higher than the worldwide norm.
Also: Wearables generate massive volumes of health data—and clinicians are having difficulty managing it
Despite this skepticism, data from IDC indicates that most U.S. government officials anticipate a future by 2030 where humans and AI systems collaborate in the public sector. Already, over 80% of U.S. government agencies deploy AI agents. So if more than half of American workers doubt AI, why is the government at the forefront of its adoption? The roots of this skepticism go deeper than fears of unemployment.
Stanford research shows that while optimism about AI is growing globally, so too is anxiety. Countries in South Asia—including Thailand and Singapore—report significantly higher confidence in AI’s positive impact. Salesforce data reveals that nations like India exhibit trust and regular AI usage rates above 80%, whereas in the U.S., both hover around 50%. India also ranks third globally in startup unicorns (131), trailing only the U.S., which leads the list.
Wealthier nations show greater doubt about AI’s advantages
Why do advanced economies such as the U.S., UK, and France display more skepticism toward AI compared to emerging markets? Global research indicates that 90% of people in developing economies expect AI to bring benefits, viewing generative and agentic AI as a pathway to career advancement.
Also: How AI agents will reshape customer service—despite three major challenges
In contrast, many in wealthier nations see AI primarily as a threat to employment. Perhaps it’s time for CEOs of top AI firms—most of which are based in the U.S.—to stop repeatedly emphasizing how AI will displace desk workers. This narrow focus overlooks AI’s broader potential, especially agentic AI, which could liberate employees to pursue more meaningful, high-impact roles.
U.S. AI skepticism isn’t just about job loss
American office workers are also worried about poor employee experiences, inadequate training, and unpreparedness for AI integration. The top three reasons cited for failed AI initiatives include generic results, lack of proper training, and distrust in AI-generated outputs.
For U.S. workers, probabilistic AI outputs aren’t sufficient for effective performance. Generative and agentic systems need to deliver more reliable, deterministic results that align with established business processes and compliance standards.
These failed pilots often trace back to weak data foundations—specifically, a lack of trustworthy, high-quality data and metadata that AI systems require for governance, context, and consistent outcomes. Expanding AI across organizations will demand serious investment in robust data infrastructure.
Also: 96% of IT professionals now use AI: Their top 7 agentic use cases and biggest deployment obstacles
Failed AI projects aren’t the sole source of skepticism. Studies show that successful AI integration isn’t just about rolling out new tools—it also requires creating environments where employees can safely learn and experiment with powerful technologies. Unsurprisingly, active AI users report more pilot setbacks than those who haven’t adopted it yet.
Effective AI pilots depend on reliable data, comprehensive training, executive sponsorship, a modern tech stack with tightly integrated business apps, and a culture that encourages experimentation and ongoing learning.
The clearest path to unlocking AI’s value is through actual use. Greater adoption will also require stronger commitments to data quality and accessibility. A survey of chief data officers found that half of agentic AI adopters identify data quality and retrieval as key barriers to implementation.
Common traits among 500+ successful AI pilot graduates.
Salesforce Research 2026
Four key factors behind successful AI pilots
Salesforce analyzed 500 successful AI pilots and identified shared traits of what they call the “AI’s A Team”:
- Effective AI pilots include structured employee training.
- AI tools are embedded directly into the apps workers use every day.
- Reliable data and predictable AI outputs require thorough testing before going live.
- AI solutions must be adaptable to individual worker needs.
When organizations excel in training, integration, output reliability, and personalization, 76% of workers become active AI champions, and 63% use AI daily.
Also: Crafting an agentic AI strategy that delivers results—without jeopardizing your business
AI skepticism in the U.S. is among the highest in the world. This underscores the need for business leaders to be transparent about their goals when implementing powerful AI solutions. Values drive value.
What principles guide your AI adoption strategy? Are you focused on creating value for all stakeholders—employees, customers, partners, and communities—by enabling everyone to shift toward higher-value, more fulfilling work? We can all improve how we communicate a shared vision for a better future.
