Most Workers Fear Firing Over AI Errors, Suppressing Transparency

A significant majority of employees are afraid to report problems with AI tools at work, creating a culture of silence that could undermine safe technology adoption across enterprises.

According to a September 2026 report from IT software company GoTo, 83% of knowledge workers and IT leaders fear being blamed or terminated for AI-related mistakes. That anxiety translates into hesitation: 31% of respondents said they avoid using AI specifically because of these concerns, as first reported by IT Brew.

The pressure to stay quiet runs deeper than general workplace anxiety. About one-third of employees feel an unspoken expectation to conceal AI errors, while 14% said they reported mistakes to leadership only to be told to keep the information under wraps.

Why it matters

When employees suppress information about AI failures, organizations lose the feedback loop necessary to identify risks before they escalate. In sectors handling financial data or healthcare information, unreported errors can have serious compliance and safety implications. Building cultures where workers feel safe flagging problems is essential to responsible AI deployment at scale.

Peter Mahoney, chief commercial officer at GoTo, told IT Brew the reluctance to surface AI mistakes likely stems from executive pressure to demonstrate productivity gains from the technology. Companies want to project a forward-looking image, creating an environment where employees feel compelled to support the narrative that AI delivers business results.

The consequences of this dynamic vary by context. In industries with significant regulatory or safety requirements, the impact of unreported errors can be substantial, Mahoney noted.

Building transparency from the top

Establishing a healthy AI culture requires explicit leadership commitment, according to Mahoney. Senior executives must set the tone, but the principles need reinforcement throughout the organization.

Transparency about where and how AI tools are deployed can help reduce anxiety about job displacement while creating space for honest feedback. Clear communication about AI's role in workflows, combined with openness to employee questions, forms the foundation of trust.

Written policies provide another critical element. Documented guidelines give employees a reference point when they encounter ambiguous situations, and the process of creating those policies forces organizations to clarify boundaries and usage rules.

Rishi Bhargava, co-founder of authentication platform Descope, suggested that companies should enable rather than mandate AI adoption. Demonstrating practical use cases—such as showing how a leader uses Claude for a specific task during a team meeting—can encourage organic uptake without creating pressure.

"You are showcasing the use case and showcasing the person who came up with that use case, and everybody feels encouraged to then go use that," Bhargava said.

Providing access to appropriate tools and highlighting successful applications helps employees see AI as a resource rather than a threat or obligation.

The details were first reported by IT Brew based on GoTo's September 2026 research.