Why Do Employees Use AI Less Frequently in the Workplace?
This brief report examines the extent and changes in the professional use of artificial intelligence (AI) among employed individuals in Germany. It is based on a quota-based online survey (CAWI) of approximately 2,585 employed individuals. The focus is on how professional AI use has changed over the past three months, what reasons are cited for reduced use, and how an increase or decrease is related to individual and organizational characteristics. The majority report that their use has remained unchanged. Overall, increases predominate, while a decrease affects only a small proportion of the workforce. A decline in usage is associated with a more critical attitude toward AI, lower perceived competence and organizational support, as well as a perceived lack of added value, unreliable results, and data privacy concerns. At the same time, social differences are evident: higher-skilled workers are more likely to increase their usage, while lower-skilled workers are comparatively more likely to reduce it. This raises the question of whether AI reduces or exacerbates existing inequalities in the workplace.

Coming soon: Link to the brief report / Link to the brief report in German

How are attitudes, usage, and regulatory requirements changing following the surge in interest in AI?

The third wave of the Digital Working Society Monitor survey, conducted in early 2026, shows that the previously heightened interest in AI is waning again, and many attitudes are stabilizing at a moderate level. At the same time, reservations about certain areas of application are growing, particularly in fields related to security and politics. In the workplace, usage remains at a high level without reports of fundamental changes in job requirements, while concerns about potential impacts on work overall remain widespread. For the first time, the perceived need for government action is also coming into focus: While interventions regarding labor market-related consequences find broad approval, economic and fiscal measures are viewed with significantly more ambivalence. The brief report from the Opinion Monitor Artificial Intelligence [MeMo:KI], based on a representative survey, analyzes the developments that have emerged compared to the first two surveys.

Link to the brief report / Link to the brief report in German

How often do workers in different professions use artificial intelligence, and how does this influence their attitudes toward AI?

The use of artificial intelligence in the workplace has been unevenly distributed to date. While some occupational groups already use AI regularly, a large proportion of workers have rarely or never come into contact with such applications. AI is used particularly frequently by higher-skilled and technically oriented occupational groups. In contrast, significantly lower usage rates are found in occupational classes with more standardized job profiles, such as skilled workers, service sector professionals, and commercial employees. The short report by the Opinion Monitor Artificial Intelligence [MeMo:KI] also shows that more frequent use is associated with higher subjective AI competence, more positive attitudes toward AI in the workplace, and fewer emotional reservations about its introduction. The results make it clear that AI is by no means widespread in the world of work and that professional position, qualifications, and experience of use are decisive factors in how AI is perceived and evaluated.

Link to the brief report / Link to the brief report in German

How do occupation and qualifications influence attitudes toward and use of AI?

Whether artificial intelligence is perceived as an opportunity, a risk, or a burden in the workplace varies significantly between different occupational classes. While more highly qualified and technically oriented groups tend to view AI positively and see greater potential benefits, other occupational groups are more ambivalent and more likely to express concerns, for example with regard to data protection, social relationships, or replaceability. The brief report by the Opinion Monitor Artificial Intelligence [MeMo:KI], based on a differentiated segmentation study, shows how strongly professional position, work logic, and qualifications shape the perception of AI.

Link to the brief report / Link to the brief report in German

How do increasing awareness and use influence the assessment of AI in the workplace?

The second wave of the Monitor Digital Working Society survey in July 2025 shows that attitudes toward AI remain ambivalent, but are shifting noticeably toward greater awareness, more nuanced assessments, and increasing acceptance – especially among the working population. With the significant increase in the use of AI, especially generative AI, and its application to more complex and creative tasks, AI is increasingly perceived as a supportive work tool and, in some cases, as a collegial aid. The brief report by the Opinion Monitor Artificial Intelligence [MeMo:KI] analyzes the developments that have emerged since the first survey and how usage, assessments, and uncertainties are changing, based on a representative survey.

Link to the brief report / Link to the brief report in German

How do workers view artificial intelligence in their everyday working lives? And how widespread is the use of AI in the workplace already?

Between interest, ambivalence, and uncertainty, the results of the first survey wave of the Monitor Digital Working Society at the beginning of 2025 show that employees are increasingly using AI and attributing its potential to reduce their workload, but at the same time perceive critical effects on data protection, social contacts, and co-determination, for example. The brief report by the Opinion Monitor Artificial Intelligence [MeMo:KI] analyzes which attitudes prevail, where uncertainties exist, and how AI is currently used and evaluated, based on a representative survey.

Link to the brief report / Link to the brief report in German

Is ChatGPT a catalyst for technocratic attitudes?

The public debate about ChatGPT revolves around both the potential of the tool and the criticism of its various malfunctions. However, how AI technologies such as ChatGPT affect our political attitudes has been little discussed. The Artificial Intelligence Opinion Monitor addresses this question in the present study.

There is currently no english version of this Factsheet / Link to the Factsheet in german

Do people’s long-term values influence their attitudes towards AI? Do these values influence the use of AI applications such as ChatGPT?

Long-term values significantly shape the decision-making and behaviour of individuals. Whether and how specific values influence the acceptance of AI and the willingness to use AI applications such as ChatGPT is addressed by the Opinion Monitor Artificial Intelligence [MeMo:KI] in a recent survey.

Link to the Factsheet / Link to the Factsheet in german

How does the public perceive the influence of AI on the future of the world of work?

AI is seen as having opportunities in terms of occupational health and safety, the requirements for necessary skills and the workload. The handling of data, the maintenance of social contacts, income or opportunities for co-determination at the workplace could suffer from the introduction of AI in the view of the respondents.

Link to the Factsheet / Link to the Factsheet in german

How known is ChatGPT in the German population and how is it perceived?

In a survey conducted by Meinungsmonitor Künstliche Intelligenz [MeMo:KI] in January and March 2023, the German population was asked about their knowledge, use and evaluation of the AI language model.

Link to the Factsheet / Link to the Factsheet in german

What does the German population think about the use of artificial intelligence in the energy sector?

In a recent survey, the Artificial Intelligence Opinion Monitor [MeMo:KI] analysed the areas of application in which the population would like to see AI systems and whether the perception of the energy crisis is influencing this acceptance.

Link to the Factsheet / Link to the Factsheet in german

What does the German population think about the use of artificial intelligence in art?

In a recent survey by the Meinungsmonitor Künstliche Intelligenz [MeMo:KI], the German population was asked about their perception of the topic of artificial intelligence in the field of art.

Link to the Factsheet / Link to the Factsheet in german

A Topic Analysis of German Media Coverage on Artificial Intelligence.

German media coverage of AI breaks down into 25 topics. While these are broad, an economic perspective on AI dominates. The thematic focus differs between media genres. In addition, the reporting is strongly occasion-driven.

Link to the Factsheet / Link to the Factsheet in german

How does the public perceive the environmental footprint of AI?

AI tends to be seen as a solution to the problem. Overall, the figures indicate widespread ignorance of the connection between AI and ecological sustainability. Compliance with ecological goals is understood as a task for society as a whole.

Link to the Factsheet / Link to the Factsheet in german

What does the public think about the use of algorithmic recommender systems?

Algorithmic recommender systems are perceived as useful in many areas of application. However, 67 percent of those surveyed consider algorithmic recommender systems to be not at all trustworthy or only slightly trustworthy. The respondents are very critical about the use of personal data.

Link to the Factsheet / Link to the Factsheet in german

How does the public perceive the influence of AI on the future of journalism?

The use of AI in journalistic newsrooms is viewed very critically. Hardly any improvement in journalistic quality is assumed. Many citizens are in favor of strong regulation of AI in journalism. Despite the critical judgment, citizens expect AI to be able to perform some journalistic tasks better than journalists.

Link to the Factsheet / Link to the Factsheet in german

How does the population perceive a possible risk of discrimination through AI?

Discrimination through AI is generally perceived by the population as only a moderate risk. However, when it comes to negative economic consequences, the use of AI is viewed rather critically. Many citizens would like to see greater regulation of AI.

Link to the Factsheet / Link to the Factsheet in german

What does the German public think about the use of AI to combat the Corona pandemic?

Citizens differentiate between various AI applications. Overall, the approval ratings for most applications are higher than for a general use of AI in healthcare. AI applications with individually attributable and existential consequences, on the other hand, receive lower approval ratings.

Link to the Factsheet / Link to the Factsheet in german