MetLife Study Highlights Growing Employee Anxiety Over AI's Workplace Impact
Event summary
- MetLife’s 24th Annual U.S. Employee Benefit Trends Study (EBTS) 2026 found 80% of employers report AI tools are part of everyday tasks, with 83% saying AI boosts efficiency.
- 61% of employees worry about ethical and safety risks like bias and misinformation, up 5% from last year.
- 59% fear AI will make jobs or skills obsolete faster than new opportunities arise.
- 67% of employers acknowledge AI is creating friction or mistrust between employees and management.
- 94% of employers believe human-centered skills like judgment and creativity will remain highly valuable over the next three years.
The big picture
MetLife’s study underscores the dual-edged nature of AI in the workplace, where efficiency gains are met with rising employee anxiety over job security and ethical risks. As AI becomes more embedded in daily operations, employers face increasing pressure to redefine success metrics and provide holistic support to maintain workforce well-being. The findings reflect broader industry trends where technology-driven productivity is reshaping traditional employment models, demanding new strategies for talent retention and development.
What we're watching
- Ethical Risks
- How employers will address growing concerns about AI bias and misinformation in the workplace.
- Skill Adaptation
- Whether employees can develop AI-complementary skills fast enough to avoid obsolescence.
- Workplace Dynamics
- The pace at which employers can bridge the gap between their perception of fair employee rewards and workers' actual experiences.
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