AI Splits Workers and Execs in 2025 Enterprise Push

Bosses love AI, but workers? Not so much. A new survey from Writer, an enterprise AI startup, reveals a growing rift in companies as execs force clunky AI tools on a frustrated workforce, sparking tension and even sabotage.

At a Glance

• The Divide: 75% of C-suite execs call AI rollouts a win, but only 45% of workers agree.
• Key Stat: 42% of execs say AI is “tearing their company apart.”
• Worker Pushback: 35% of employees pay for their own AI tools, ditching company junk.
• Why It Matters: Bad tools and job fears are stalling AI’s big workplace takeover.

What’s Driving the Clash?

Execs See Gold, Workers See Glitches

Writer’s 2025 survey, out March 18 via Axios here, polled 800 execs and 800 employees across industries like tech, finance, and healthcare in December 2024. The gap’s stark: 89% of C-suite leaders think they’ve got an AI strategy, but only 57% of workers see it. And while 94% of execs admit their AI solutions suck, they’re still pushing them hard. Workers, meanwhile, are fed up with tools that don’t work.

Tension Turns Ugly

It’s not just grumbling. Two-thirds of execs say AI’s causing “tension and division,” and 42% feel it’s ripping their company apart. On X, @TechBitMike posted March 17, 2025, “My team’s rejecting AI that crashes daily. Productivity’s down, not up.” Writer’s CEO May Habib told Axios, “Employees are so unhappy, 35% are shelling out cash for better AI.” Some Gen Z workers are even sabotaging rollouts, per the survey’s 10% sabotage stat.

Why AI’s Failing the Floor

Tools That Tank

Chatbots are the poster child for this mess. Habib’s blunt: “We’re all sick of the fucking chatbots.” Workers want tools for “big work orchestrations,” not flaky bots. A 2024 Forbes piece found 60% of enterprise AI pilots fail because they’re rushed and misaligned. X user @WorkplaceRealist, posting March 19, 2025, said, “Our AI ‘helper’ mangles reports. I’d rather do it myself.”

Job Fear Fuels the Fire

Pew Research’s 2025 data shows 52% of U.S. workers worry AI will cut jobs, and 32% see fewer opportunities ahead. Execs swear it’s about growth. Habib says, “Show workers AI expands output without axing them.” But trust’s thin. A Gallup poll from February 2025 found 75% of Americans view AI negatively. No wonder workers balk.

Can This Be Fixed?

Bridging the Gap

Writer’s survey says 25% of AI-using employees are “champions” building tools themselves. Tap that energy, Habib argues. Break silos between IT and business leads (72% of execs admit they’re siloed). X’s @AI_Advocate, posting March 16, 2025, said, “Train us, don’t just dump AI on us.” Microsoft’s Alexia Cambon told Axios March 11, “Use AI as a thought partner, not a dictator. That takes critical thinking.”

Reality Check

AI’s not magic. It hallucinates, makes shit up, 10% of the time, per a Wired January 2025 report. Checking its work can waste more time than it saves. And the C-suite’s “use it or lose” vibe? It’s backfiring. A 2024 Upwork study found workers crave high-value tasks, context, creativity, that AI can’t touch yet.

Conclusion

AI’s splitting workplaces in 2025, with execs chasing a shiny future and workers stuck with broken tools and job jitters. Fix it by ditching shitty chatbots, training people, and proving AI won’t kill jobs.

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