More than half (56%) of Gen Z workers feel guilty using AI at work Almost half of all workers (43%) feel guilty and 39% say using AI feels like cheating34% are hiding AI usage from their employer
TORONTO, July 7, 2026 /CNW/ – Today, Employment Hero, the global AI-powered employment platform, released new data pointing to a growing workplace paradox: AI is quickly becoming an essential skill, yet many Canadian workers continue to associate its use with guilt, uncertainty and even cheating.
Employment Hero’s newly released AI Paradox Report found that 43% of Canadian workers feel guilty using AI to produce work, rising to 56% among Gen Z workers.. Nearly four in ten (39%) believe using AI to complete parts of their job feels like cheating, while more than one-third (34%) admit hiding their AI use from their employer. Furthermore, almost half of businesses (45%) believe employees are using personal AI accounts at work – highlighting the growing challenge of “shadow AI.”
The findings suggest Canada’s AI challenge is no longer simply whether employees will adopt the technology. It is whether organizations can create workplace cultures where employees feel confident using AI openly, responsibly and effectively.
The research suggests the issue isn’t a lack of willingness to adopt AI – it’s a lack of confidence and support. Only 41% of Canadian workers believe their AI skills are sufficient for an AI-driven labour market, while 60% rate their AI competence as low to average. More than half (51%) say their employer does little or nothing to develop AI skills, leaving many workers to educate themselves. In fact, 58% have learned AI skills through social media.
The findings come as the federal government looks to improve AI literacy and adoption through its AI for All strategy, underscoring the role employers will need to play in helping workers build confidence and capability.
Chris Pinkerton, Managing Director at Employment Hero Canada, says AI guilt highlights a workplace challenge that businesses have an opportunity to solve.
“This research shows that Canada’s challenge isn’t AI adoption – it’s AI confidence,” said Pinkerton. “Workers already recognize AI is becoming an essential workplace skill, but many still feel they need to hide using it because they don’t have clear guidance or confidence in what’s acceptable. The organizations that will succeed won’t simply be the ones adopting AI fastest–they’ll be the ones that create a culture where employees feel empowered to use it responsibly, transparently, and confidently.”
To help Canadian businesses turn AI guilt into AI confidence, Employment Hero has developed practical guidance for both employers and employees.
For employers:
Be clear about where AI is encouraged. Remove uncertainty by setting clear expectations around which tasks AI can support, where human judgement is essential and which tools employees are approved to use.Normalize talking about AI. Encourage employees to openly discuss when and how they’ve used AI, making transparency part of everyday work rather than something to hide.Invest in AI literacy. As AI becomes an essential workplace skill, give employees the training, guidance and policies they need to use it confidently, responsibly and securely.Create room to experiment. Give employees opportunities to safely test AI on low-risk tasks so they can build confidence without compromising quality or sensitive information.Position AI as a career skill. Frame AI as a capability that strengthens productivity and future employability, not as a shortcut or a replacement for human expertise.
For employees:
Ask where AI fits into your role. Have conversations with your manager about when AI is appropriate, where additional review is needed and what responsible use looks like.Be transparent about AI use. If AI helped shape a draft, brainstorm ideas or summarize information, explain how it supported your work to help build trust.Always apply human judgement. Treat AI as a starting point rather than a finished product. Check facts, context and tone before sharing your work.Protect confidential information. Only use approved AI tools and never upload sensitive customer, commercial or personal information into unauthorized platforms.Keep building your AI skills. AI literacy is becoming an increasingly valuable career skill. Take advantage of training opportunities and continue developing your knowledge as the technology evolves.
As Canada accelerates its focus on AI adoption and workforce readiness, Employment Hero says businesses have an opportunity to ensure employees develop one of today’s most valuable workplace skills openly rather than in the shadows.
Media Contact
Sean Benmor
NATIONAL Public Relations
sbenmor@national.ca
416-676-6482
Megan Felsing
Communications Lead, Employment Hero
megan.felsing@employmenthero.com
587-575-5273
About Employment Hero
Employment Hero is the global authority on employment, offering a world-leading Employment Operating System (eOS) that simplifies and optimizes every stage of the employment process. Its award-winning platform combines HR, payroll, recruitment, and employee engagement tools with the groundbreaking employment superapp, EH Work, which integrates career management and financial wellbeing. Serving over 350,000 businesses and managing more than 2.5 million employees worldwide, Employment Hero reduces administrative burdens by up to 80%, enabling organizations to focus on their goals and create more productive, engaged teams. By revolutionising the employment marketplace, Employment Hero is making employment easier, more valuable and rewarding for everyone.
About the research
Employment Hero, The AI Paradox at Work (2026). Survey of 3,290 business leaders and 5,454 workers across Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the UK. Conducted with Research Tech company Focaldata between 23rd April – 7th May. Canada sample: 1,001 business leaders; 1,500 workers
SOURCE Employment Hero
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