Employers are exerting growing pressure to use artificial intelligence at work, yet only 43% of them, according to employees, offer advanced AI tools, and fewer than one in two have provided staff with training in this area. Employees, for their part, feel lost: 40% openly admit they cannot keep up with AI developments and feel adrift. Two-thirds use AI on the job, but only one in five does so at an advanced level—findings from the report “How to Work Without Regret? In the Age of the AI Revolution” by the job portals rocketjobs.pl and justjoin.it. Totalizator Sportowy is the main partner; strategic partners include eTutor for Business and ProfiLingua; the report has the academic patronage of Kozminski University.
AI at work: usage grows, proficiency lags
AI is fast becoming the norm in the workplace. In the latest survey of more than 1,500 white-collar employees, 41% say they use AI tools regularly and another 29% use them occasionally. That means 7 in 10 employees already interact with AI at work. The most common use cases are information search, content writing, data analysis, and translation. The preferred tool is ChatGPT, and two-thirds claim they can write effective prompts.
Look closer, however, and the picture is less rosy. Only one in five employees uses AI tools at an advanced level; 40% rate their skills as intermediate; and just over one in five (23%) admit to low or no AI proficiency. The exception is IT specialists, among whom 34% report advanced skills.
The survey reveals a striking dichotomy in how Polish workers view AI. As many as 81% see AI as helpful for skills development, yet only 39% have actually mastered it at a high level. This gap between perception and practice is no accident. Many cite tools like ChatGPT or Midjourney, but comparatively few can use them effectively at work.
“Operating AI is seen as the most future-proof competency (45% of respondents), but it remains the least mastered. We’re in a transition phase—awareness of needs is running ahead of practical application,”
says Ewelina Suchocka, Senior Digital Marketing Specialist at Totalizator Sportowy.
Job satisfaction in the AI era: enthusiasm mixed with discomfort
Polish employees’ relationship with AI is more complex than a simple split between enthusiasts and sceptics. On the one hand, familiarity is rising—over 70% say they know how to use AI tools, 62% claim they can craft effective prompts, and nearly two-thirds report knowing tools specific to their field. The primary benefit users cite is a significant productivity boost: 71% say AI helps them complete routine tasks faster and more efficiently, with one in four saying much faster. Moreover, 55% see AI as a chance to find a new job, and 43% as a path to promotion into a role for which they do not yet fully meet the requirements. A majority (55%) also say they are satisfied with working alongside AI.
Yet behind this optimism lies an emotional and ethical dissonance. One-third believe AI threatens their jobs, and 40% feel overwhelmed, admitting they cannot keep up with AI news. More than one-third feel they are “cheating” when using AI to complete tasks, and 28% hide their AI use from supervisors. The upshot is a paradox: AI materially lifts productivity and opens new opportunities, yet it triggers moral doubts and a sense that using it undermines the authenticity of one’s work.
Many employees take a pragmatic stance: 46% treat AI as just another work tool; one in ten sees it as a passing fad; and one-third view AI’s presence as a necessity they must accept regardless of personal preference.
The promise of higher productivity comes with new psychological and social challenges. 42% say they cannot keep pace with AI innovation, and 38% feel overloaded by information. In this context, impostor syndrome takes on special significance: more people feel their success is no longer fully their own, eroding agency and professional identity—especially in knowledge professions.
“To manage this transition, organizations must support not only technical upskilling but also psychological resilience and critical thinking,” says Dr. Zuzanna Staniszewska, Assistant Professor in the Department of Management at Kozminski University.
“Ultimately, it’s not the speed of innovation but the ability to manage change ethically and inclusively that will determine whether AI becomes a source of advancement or exclusion.”
Education: a gap between needs and action
With AI tools spreading and some tasks being automated, continuous learning has become essential. One in three employees feels strong pressure to acquire new AI-related skills, and one in four faces explicit employer requirements to use AI tools. Yet only 39% have received AI training at work—and most of those courses were optional.
Meanwhile, 42% believe the employer should organize and fund such training, and another 23% favour splitting the cost. A fundamental question emerges: who should pay for reskilling? 36% think their employer expects them to acquire AI skills on their own (among IT staff this rises to 49%).
“Pressure alone doesn’t produce effective development. The data show a clear mismatch: employers push for AI use, yet only 39% of employees have received company training, while 42% believe employers should fund it,”
says Piotr Nowosielski, CEO of Just Join IT.
“We need a new model of shared responsibility. The AI revolution requires a partnership approach—companies must invest in structured programs, and employees must actively participate.”
Motivated by employers or not, employees self-educate: 85% report actively upgrading skills. Two-thirds do so via online courses (56%) and YouTube/videos & podcasts (54%). In-house training and in-person workshops are also valued, chosen by 41% and 35%, respectively. Still, one in three spends less than 1.5 hours a week (up to 5 hours monthly) on professional development, and 43% study 6–15 hours per month.
Are companies ready for AI?
Although 49% of employees rate their organizations as fairly ready for the AI revolution, the details show a readiness gap. Only 43% have access at work to advanced, paid AI tools, and a similar share has received training. This means over half must rely on free, limited tools or their own resources.
In IT, readiness looks stronger: 65% see their firms as prepared for AI, and 60% have access to advanced tools. Asked about colleagues’ readiness, 53% of all respondents say their coworkers and managers are prepared for AI-driven change.
Occupations in transition — and the road ahead
AI’s footprint on the Polish labour market is growing. Change will accelerate, and employees know it: two-thirds expect their occupation to undergo partial or complete transformation within five years. Nearly half believe that by 2030 a significant portion of their skills will be obsolete; 38% estimate 25–50% will be outdated; and one in five thinks 50% or more of their skill set will no longer suffice. IT specialists are even more pessimistic—68% expect half or more of their technical qualifications to be insufficient by 2030. The implication: for many, a large share of what defines their market value today may soon lose relevance—making upskilling all the more crucial.
Falling satisfaction, rising appetite for change
The rocketjobs.pl and justjoin.it survey finds 80% of Polish white-collar employees are satisfied with their current job, with 52% “very satisfied.” But the trend is slipping: in a year, the “very satisfied” share fell from 59% to 52%. IT specialists remain the most satisfied group (57%), and satisfaction increases with age. Despite broadly positive sentiment, one in four is considering a job change, and 12% have already taken steps toward reskilling. Notably, two-thirds (66%) are optimistic about their career future, though only 37% have a clear three-year career plan.
Bottom line: Poland’s labour market is in transition. Workers are aware of the change and largely willing to adapt, but they need employer support—training and access to advanced infrastructure. Effective technology adoption requires shared responsibility: employers must invest in skills, and employees must proactively build the competencies of the future.
About the survey
Conducted by WiseRabbit in August 2025 among 1,500+ white-collar workers, including IT specialists. Respondents represented Generations Z, Y, and X, across sectors and seniority levels.
Source: https://ceo.com.pl/tylko-43-firm-oferuje-szkolenia-ai-choc-wiekszosc-oczekuje-ich-uzycia-38230
