A recent survey of more than 1,000 U.S. office workers highlights increasing use and misuse of artificial intelligence (AI) in the workplace, with many employees willing to disregard company policies for convenience.
The Insider AI Threat Report, conducted by CalypsoAI, an AI security provider, found that over half of surveyed employees—52%—would break their company’s AI policy if it made their jobs easier. Additionally, a quarter of respondents have already used AI tools without verifying whether such use was permitted.
The report also indicates shifting attitudes toward AI in the workplace. Nearly half (45%) of employees trust AI more than their co-workers, and 38% would prefer an AI manager over a human one. Among C-suite executives, this preference is even higher at 50%. One-third (34%) of all workers surveyed said they would consider leaving their job if unable to use AI tools at work.
Security risks are prevalent across various levels within organizations. Twenty-eight percent of employees admitted using AI to access sensitive data, while another 28% reported submitting proprietary company information to complete tasks using AI. Among executives, 35% acknowledged sharing proprietary information with AI systems.
Entry-level workers appear particularly vulnerable regarding compliance and understanding of regulations. Thirty-seven percent said they would not feel guilty about violating company policy on AI use, and 21% indicated that unclear rules led them to do what works rather than follow official guidelines.
Highly regulated industries face notable challenges as well. In finance, 60% admit to breaking rules related to AI use; a third have accessed restricted data through these tools. In the security sector, 42% knowingly violate policy when using AI and 58% trust these tools more than colleagues. Within healthcare organizations, only 55% adhere to internal policies on AI usage and over a quarter would prefer reporting to an artificial intelligence supervisor instead of a human one.
“These numbers should be a wake-up call,” said Donnchadh Casey, CEO of CalypsoAI. “We’re seeing executives racing to implement AI without fully understanding the risks, frontline employees using it unsupervised, and even trusted security professionals breaking their own rules.”
