AI efficiency gains clash with growing worker fears—MetLife

NEW YORK, UNITED STATES — A study from MetLife released today reveals a significant disconnect in the American workplace as artificial intelligence (AI) becomes deeply embedded in daily operations. 

While 83% of employers report that AI tools help employees work faster and more efficiently, 61% of workers now express concern over the technology’s ethical and safety risks—marking a five-percentage-point increase from the prior year.

The growing tension between AI adoption and worker trust

According to a study released today by MetLife, the 24th Annual U.S. Employee Benefit Trends Study (EBTS), AI has become more than an emerging tool in everyday work, and it is now commonplace. 

According to statistics, 80% of employers report that AI tools are already standard in their jobs, highlighting the rapid pace of technology adoption across sectors. Nonetheless, as adoption increases, employee fear is rapidly escalating alongside efficiency gains. 

The researchers discovered that 59% of employees fear that AI will make their jobs or skills obsolete more rapidly than new opportunities can be created, and 24% of employees believe it is their direct responsibility to compete with AI in their current positions.

The management is not immune to this friction. The research shows that two-thirds of employers admit that AI is creating new points of contact or distrust between workers and leadership. 

Also, 54% of employers say they have difficulty adapting to the new ways of working, which, in their opinion, employees now demand.

Shurawl Sibblies, Chief Human Resources Officer at MetLife, noted that many organizations are still navigating the implications of this technological shift.

“As AI is rapidly becoming a more significant part of everyday work, many employers are still working through what the integration means for employees and the future of their organizations,” Sibblies said.

“Providing clarity around expectations and development is critical to driving the best outcomes for employees and businesses.”

Redefining success and support systems in AI-driven workplace

In addition to productivity indicators, the study reports workforce pressure driven by technological disruption, a softened labor market, and unrelenting financial challenges. 

According to MetLife, employee well-being continues to decline, underscoring the importance of managers offering holistic benefits that support physical, mental, economic, and social health. 

Advocating the supportive benefits is necessary to help employees cope with the swift transformation, Todd Katz, Executive Vice President and Head of Group Benefits at MetLife, underlined. 

Katz notes, “Supportive benefits play a critical role in helping people manage change, build resilience and stay healthy—while skill development ensures employees can continue to grow and succeed alongside new technology.”

There could be a great gap in perception that is preventing development. On the one hand, 91% of employers believe their contributions are appreciated and repaid appropriately; on the other hand, 65% of workers agree. 

The discovery also explains this detachment: 55% of workers believe success is evaluated by output more than by any other approach, indicating a limited view of productivity rather than an overall view of input.

In response, MetLife’s study introduces “The Success Reset”—an approach designed to help organizations move from uncertainty to confidence by blending human skills, connection, and modern benefits. 

The data suggests employers are recognizing the need for this balance: 94% say human-centered skills such as judgment, creativity, collaboration, and problem-solving will be highly valuable over the next three years, while 71% also cite the ability to work with AI and a willingness to learn new skills as critical for the future.

MetLife’s findings suggest the future of work will depend not only on how quickly companies deploy AI, but on whether they can build trust, invest in reskilling, and redefine productivity so technology strengthens rather than sidelines the workforce.