GoTo report reveals half of workers over-rely on AI, prompting calls for skill preservation
Workplace researcher Dan Schawbel advises staff to conduct weekly 'AI audits' to ensure technology augments rather than replaces critical thinking, as IT leaders report widespread need for revisions in AI-generated outputs.
A 2026 Pulse of Work report by GoTo indicates that 50% of employees believe they rely on artificial intelligence more than they should, with 39% stating that excessive use is diminishing their intelligence. The findings highlight a growing tension between the efficiency gains offered by generative tools and the potential erosion of professional capabilities. An additional 30% of workers report feeling unable to function at work without AI, underscoring a significant shift in workplace dependency.
Workplace researcher Dan Schawbel, managing partner at Workplace Intelligence, advises staff to conduct weekly 'AI audits' to ensure the technology augments rather than replaces critical thinking. Schawbel, who published the guidance for CNBC, suggests that employees regularly assess whether they are using AI to speed up repetitive tasks or avoiding work that builds skills. He warns that if a worker cannot explain, defend, or redo the work AI produced without the tool, they have crossed from augmentation into dependency.
The guidance suggests using AI to review work produced independently, rather than generating outputs from scratch, to preserve problem-solving abilities and human skills such as creativity and emotional intelligence. Schawbel notes that data shows creative thinking, emotional intelligence, leadership, and the judgment to override AI outputs are ranked as the most critical capabilities for the future. This approach allows workers to catch errors and bias while maintaining their own analytical rigor.
Data from the report supports the need for caution, with 87% of IT leaders reporting that AI-generated work regularly needs revisions before it is ready for use. While a field experiment involving more than 6,000 workers found that employees using generative AI tools spent less time on tasks such as email and document work, time savings only benefit the organisation if the output is accurate and strategically sound.
The broader context includes ongoing discussions about AI's impact on workplace productivity and skill retention. As routine tasks become easier to automate, the parts of a job that require judgment and creativity are likely to matter even more. Workers who understand when to rely on AI and when their own judgment matters more are positioned to stay sharp and effective in an evolving market.
