AI in the workplace: Two-thirds of workers see AI as a 'threat' to job security

RS study of employed Americans reveals some workers are concerned about being ‘replaced’ by AI, while others see its usage as a positive step.

FORT WORTH, TX, UNITED STATES, March 13, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Most employed Americans are worried about AI’s potential to replace jobs, according to a new study.

The new report by RS, a global provider of product and service solutions for industrial customers, found that two-thirds (72%) of workers are concerned about how AI could impact their job security or ”ongoing employability.”

The study saw RS survey 1,000 workers from different industries, and found that AI usage in the workplace is skyrocketing. Most American workers (60%) used AI as part of their job in the last year – and millions more expect to use the technology in the future.

Usage is accelerating rapidly, as more than a quarter of working Americans (28%) used AI in their role for the first time in 2024.

While AI use appears to have become quite widespread, they found that Americans are still on the fence about its future role in the workplace, its benefits, and its potential drawbacks.

A sense of nervousness toward the technology was further reinforced by the nearly half (41%) of Americans who cited ”loss of jobs for humans” as being the main potential drawback to the use of AI in the workplace.

Interestingly, younger workers were most likely to see AI as a potential threat to their career prospects; just 15% of 25-34-year-olds said they felt AI was ”no threat” to their job—the lowest figure of any age group studied.

More than a third of all workers also said they view the potential ”loss of skills in humans” (36%) as a major potential disadvantage of this technology.

In fact, just a quarter of working Americans (25%) see the use of AI as part of their day-to-day job as a ”good thing,” suggesting 75% are unsure or already perceive it negatively.

Across all age groups, just a third of working Americans (31%) feel that AI usage in their workplace is ”inevitable,” suggesting that the majority (69%) are unsure if it will continue to grow or think it may not happen.

However, three in ten (30%) did admit to seeing AI as ”an opportunity for businesses and employees to become more efficient.” Additionally, a quarter (25%) think that AI could improve the workplace long-term by taking on roles that humans find boring or repetitive.

San Francisco emerged as an AI hub in the U.S. in usage terms, with three-quarters of workers (75%) stating they’re already using AI in their role. A large majority of workers from Miami (71%), San Diego (69%) and Phoenix (67%) also reported they are using AI in some form as part of their day-to-day job.

America’s AI Cities (% of workers who use AI in their role)

1. San Francisco (75%)
2. Miami (71%)
3. San Diego (69%)
4. Phoenix (67%)
5. New York (64%) / Atlanta (64%)
6. Seattle (63%) / Washington DC (63%)
7. Charlotte (62%)
8. Dallas (61%) / Memphis (61%) / New Orleans (61%)
9. Chicago (59%)
10. Boston (58%) / Denver (58%)
11. Los Angeles (56%)
12. Detroit (55%) / Houston (55%) / Indianapolis (55%)
13. Philadelphia (54%)
14. Jacksonville (53%)
15. Las Vegas (50%)

Scott Jayes — Vice President of Value-Added Solutions at RS, commented: “It is interesting to see that more Americans are incorporating AI into their workplaces than ever before.

“Some have an understandable concern about job security. On the other hand, there’s growing excitement about AI’s potential to enhance efficiency and take over tasks that many find tedious or unenjoyable.

“What is clear is that AI is reshaping workflows in ways that are hard to ignore – bringing both challenges and opportunities for the modern workforce."

To find out more about this report, please visit: https://us.rs-online.com/expert/aiintheworkplace/

Rhys Thomas
IDHL
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