Survey Finds 65% of Frontline Workers Use AI

A Humanforce survey of 501 Australian workers across three sectors finds widespread AI use with limited employer training or guidance.

Updated on Nov. 15, 2026 in Artificial Intelligence

Survey Finds 65% of Frontline Workers Use AI

Live Poll

Do you think AI is making your job better or worse?

Humanforce reports that 65% of surveyed Australian frontline workers used AI or an AI-enabled tool at work in the past year. Almost half (46%) received no employer training, briefing or written rules on AI.

Why it matters

The findings suggest AI is already embedded in frontline jobs across Australia faster than workplace guidance is being put in place. Gaps in policy leave workers unsure which tools they are permitted to use.

The survey covered 501 workers in healthcare, hospitality and tourism, and retail and wholesale trade, with 13% reporting comprehensive AI training. The report does not detail which AI tools were used or how the sample was weighted across sectors.

The players

Humanforce

Humanforce is an Australian workforce management software company that publishes workplace research on employment and technology.

The details

Respondents said paperwork and administration was the area they most want AI to make easier, at 43%, and 49% spend at least two hours a week on administrative tasks. The top concern, cited by 47%, was losing human contact in their job, and 41% said their pay had been wrong at least once in the past 12 months.

Past 12 months: workers reported wrong pay and AI tool use
Past year: 65% of surveyed workers used AI at work
Typical week: workers spend two or more hours on administrative tasks

Industry Context

The findings sit within Humanforce's ongoing research on frontline employment conditions, now extended to how AI is being adopted in healthcare, hospitality and retail. The data gives a current snapshot of workplace AI use across Australian industries.

Workers who use AI tools without clear rules may be unsure whether their use is allowed, with 24% reporting their employer had not permitted it or that they did not know. Staff should confirm with their employer which tools are approved before relying on them for work tasks.

The takeaway

Employers and frontline workers both benefit from clear written rules on AI use before tools become routine. Asking your employer which AI tools are permitted is a practical first step.