With artificial intelligence rapidly reshaping the modern workplace, many employees are caught between curiosity and concern.

New YouGov data reveals a nation divided: while 34% of adults say they use AI frequently, 37% admit they never use it at all.

And despite its growing presence, trust remains low - just 18% of people say they would trust AI to make decisions or take actions, while 72% wouldn’t feel comfortable allowing it to act on their behalf without approval.

But according to efficiency experts Kane Taylor and Jamie Burns from Ailsa, fears of AI replacing workers may be misplaced.

Instead of threatening jobs, they argue that AI has the potential to remove the mundane, time-consuming tasks that dominate many roles, freeing employees to focus on more meaningful, creative and complex work.

“I think it’s a big question on a lot of people’s minds at the moment, and a bit of fear, is this going to affect my job? Is this going to take my job?” said Kane. 

“But I think we can twist this in a positive way. If AI can do all the remedial tasks in the background, it means we can upskill our workforces to do more interesting, or more complex things, that we can focus our time on."

"Certainly, in my business, a lot of our time is going through a lot of admin and graphs, things that an AI could easily to, to allow us to focus on the more important things.”

“AI becomes a business enabler, rather than a risk and something to be scared of,” said Jamie.

“I think a lot of people are scared and worried about AI taking their job, but companies can use AI to streamline their processes and enable them to become a better business."

“One thing I would say, is that companies that incorporate AI into their businesses, and take away the more mundane tasks that people don't like doing, some of the admin functions that seem to take all day but need doing, that’s what you can use AI for and then use the people in the business to do the more complex and skilled stuff because you're always going to need people."

“We deal with data day in and day out, we deal with AI day in and day out, but it's never going to replace a person. Everything still needs a person, every interaction still needs someone there, because the whole personality and personal touch is what makes business operate."

“AI then will become a thing that will streamline and take away a lot of the tasks that people don't like doing on a day-to-day basis.” 

1. Learn to use AI so it works for you, not instead of you

“A lot of people are asking whether AI is going to take their job, and honestly, it’s a fair worry. But the truth is, AI is much better at taking the boring stuff out of your job than taking the job itself. If you get used to using it day to day, it becomes something that helps you, not something that replaces you,” said Kane Taylor, efficiency expert at Ailsa

“If the admin, the endless graphs, the time-draining background tasks can be handled by AI, that frees you up to do the more interesting, complex, valuable work. Getting comfortable with the tools puts you in the position of being the person who benefits from AI, not the one threatened by it.”

2. Lean into the human skills AI can’t touch

“No matter how good AI gets, it’s never going to replace people. You still need real conversations, real judgement, and real emotional understanding, the things that make workplaces actually function. AI can process information, but it can’t bring personality, empathy, or the instinct that comes from experience."

“So, focus on the parts of your job that rely on those uniquely human skills. The more you develop your communication, problem-solving, decision-making and creativity, the harder it is for any technology to step into your role.”

3. Build a reputation that people trust

“AI can help with tasks, but it can’t build relationships. It can’t walk into a room and earn someone’s confidence, and it can’t replace the trust people put in someone they know will show up and do great work. That personal touch is what keeps businesses running."

“When you build a solid reputation, being dependable, consistent, easy to work with, you’re creating something AI can’t replicate. People work with people they trust, and that’s your edge.”

4. Get good at deciding what the real problem is

“AI is brilliant at giving answers, but only if you tell it the right question. The real value comes from being the person who can step back, look at the situation, and decide what actually needs solving. That’s something humans are still far better at than any model."

“If you can identify the core issue, guide the direction, and then use AI to handle the grunt work, you become the one steering the process. AI supports the thinking, but it doesn’t do the thinking.”

5. Stay flexible and open to learning

“The workplaces that use AI well are the ones freeing people from the boring, repetitive tasks. That means there’s a huge opportunity for anyone willing to adapt. The more open you are to learning new tools and approaches, the more valuable you become." 

“Jobs aren’t disappearing, they’re shifting. If you stay curious and willing to update your skills, you’ll always have a role, and it’ll usually be a more interesting one than before.”