The findings come from WalkMe, an SAP company, which surveyed over 1,000 U.S. workers for the 2025 edition of its “AI in the Workplace” survey. Nearly half of employees (48.8%) admit to hiding their use of AI at work to avoid judgment, suggesting that something like “AI shame” is a real phenomenon in the workplace. This discomfort is especially pronounced at the top, with 53.4% of C-suite leaders admitting they conceal their AI habits—despite being the most frequent users. Entry-level workers aren’t exempt, but the paradox deepens at the executive level, highlighting how even the most empowered employees remain uneasy. Gen Z’s relationship with AI appears to be both enthusiastic and anxious. A striking 62.6% have completed work using AI but pretended it was all their own effort—the highest rate among any generation.

Full report : Survey reveals not only an ‘AI readiness gap’ but also an emerging phenomenon of ‘AI shame’ in the workplace—especially in the C-suite.