AI's Effect on Workplace Culture

Corporate leaders are looking to AI for the future of their business. A recent survey of 102 CHROs participating in Gallup’s Global CHRO Roundtable found 99% say AI is somewhat or very important to their organization’s strategy.

At the same time, CHROs are unsure about whether their team leaders have the capability to achieve AI transformation. Fifty percent of the same CHROs say they are not very confident or not at all confident in their managers’ ability to guide employees on using AI at work.

Surveys of U.S. employees suggest that concern is not unfounded. According to Gallup’s Q1 2026 workforce study, AI adoption is pushing organizational cultures in equally positive and negative directions on average, with managers playing a decisive role in how technology-related changes are perceived by employees.

Employees See Positive and Negative Culture Change From AI

A majority of U.S. employees (59%) in workplaces that have not adopted AI say that their organizational culture has stayed the same over the past year, with the remainder equally divided on culture improving or worsening over that time. Employees in workplaces where AI has been implemented are less likely to say their culture has stayed the same in the past year (51%), with the rest about evenly divided between those saying it has worsened to some degree (25%) or improved (24%).

When employees in AI-implemented organizations who said their culture was changing were asked to what extent these changes are due to advancements in technology, such as automation, robots or artificial intelligence, nearly half (46%) said it was somewhat or a great deal responsible for the workplace culture change.

These findings suggest that the introduction of AI alone doesn't create a consistently better workplace. Instead, it acts as a catalyst for change, and employees experience that change differently depending on how it is introduced and integrated into their work.

Where AI Is Improving Workplace Culture

One factor consistently separates organizations where AI is making a positive difference from those where it isn’t: the manager. Workers who strongly agree their manager champions AI are much more likely to say AI has transformed how work gets done within their organization than those who do not strongly agree (33% vs. 4%).

Manager support also shapes how employees experience culture change during AI transformation. Employees who strongly agree their manager actively supports their team’s AI use are more likely to say their workplace culture has improved in the past year (31%) compared with those who do not strongly agree (21%). They are also more likely to say their culture has improved a lot (9% vs. 3%).

Many organizations are looking for managers to drive AI adoption. Along with encouraging peer learning (78%), 57% of CHROs in Gallup’s roundtable survey say they are now providing AI training for managers. In addition, a majority of CHROs surveyed say they are creating centers of excellence or internal AI champions (62%).

These investments acknowledge managers’ role in AI adoption, but training alone is unlikely to be enough. Gallup’s research consistently shows today’s managers are carrying expanding responsibilities and broader spans of control already. Asking managers to lead AI transformation without considering their capacity and internal support risks turning a priority into another competing demand.

Bottom Line

Leaders clearly see AI transformation as a priority, yet AI adoption alone does not consistently correspond with employees experiencing an improved workplace culture.

Employees whose managers actively support using AI at work are significantly more likely to say AI has transformed the way work gets done and that their culture has improved. Many CHROs are investing in manager training and AI champions, reflecting an emphasis on helping managers guide employees through workplace change.

The findings underscore the importance of supporting managers throughout this transition. Equipping managers with clear communication, resources and support to lead change may be just as important as investing in the technology itself.