It's not just you nearly two-thirds of workers say they've exaggerated AI skills to get ahead at their company

Date:
Sat, 23 May 2026 11:25:00 +0000

Description:
Two-thirds (63%) of workers exaggerate their AI skills, driven by job loss fears and the pressure to appear competent, creating an AI confidence gap.

FULL STORY ======================================================================Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter Two-thirds (63%) of workers exaggerate their AI skills, creating an AI confidence gap Exaggeration is driven by job loss fears, with 69% worried AI could automate their role 64% believe employers have never verified workers' AI skills employees want more clarity New GCheck data has uncovered an emerging AI confidence gap in workplaces, with employees publicly stating that they have high AI
competence, but behind closed doors they lack confidence in their own abilities.

Two in three (63%) workers admit to exaggerating or overstating their AI skills to project more knowledgeable appearance in the hope of being more worthy of employment or promotions. Surprisingly, this is higher among Gen Z workers, where four in five (80%) admit to exaggerating, suggesting younger employees might be feeling the pressure to appear AI-ready more than their peers. Latest Videos From You may like Workers are increasingly using unapproved AI tools at work, despite knowing the risks 'Some of our employees fear job loss, and it turns them away from AI altogether': AI is helping
boost productivity for some workers but others still say they're afraid to use it New study says learning new AI skills is the key to a pay rise Theres more than one reason for the lying Workers are facing a new kind of career pressure where appearing AI-capable increasingly feels tied to employability and job security, CEO Houman Akhavan said.

Only one in three (34%) workers think they could confidently perform all the AI-related skills they claim to have, and the lying extends far beyond the
CV.

Many admit to speaking confidently about AI in meetings (40%) not to appear behind, letting colleagues assume theyre more skilled than they are (33%), taking credit for AI-assisted work as entirely their own (25%), volunteering for AI-related tasks they werent technically qualified for (18%) or admitting to directly lying about AI experience (16%).

With three-quarters (76%) saying theyre only overstating because they intend to learn those skills eventually, its clear that employees only see
themselves as lying temporarily. A similar number (70%) also believe that others in the industry also exaggerate, normalizing the behavior. Are you a pro? Subscribe to our newsletter Sign up to the TechRadar Pro newsletter to get all the top news, opinion, features and guidance your business needs to succeed! Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting
your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over. Fear is as much to blame as other career-backed reasons However, GCheck says workers arent necessarily lying to get a better job or promotion. Many are also lying out of fear, with 69% concerned AI could automate parts of their current role within two years. More than half (52%) also worry theyd appear less competitive in the event of layoffs, and 46%
fear being fired if they dont develop AI skills.

The fear is also evident in workplace behavior, with half (53%) deliberately choosing manual methods over AI and 24% dismissing AI tools as not useful, even when they helped.

That disconnect creates risk for organizations and uncertainty for employees trying to keep pace with rapid change, Akhavan added. What to read next Many firms don't know what their workers are sharing with AI tools Bad news employee most executives admit using AI makes them value human workers less Candidates are hitting back at employers using AI interviews

The findings also imply that managers might not be aware of the lying, with 64% of workers saying their employers have never tried to verify their AI skills. Around half (47%) of workers now call for clearer explanations about how AI is used during hiring. Additionally, around one in three (29%) say that, if their employers were transparent about skill checking, they would be more honest about their skills.

With the report hinting at a workplace where employees fear becoming
obsolete, its clear a cultural change is required to normalize artificial intelligence adoption and to reassure workers that, with the right skills, they will continue to remain relevant.

Automation anxiety is not just about job loss. It is reshaping behavior, distorting skill signals, and challenging the credibility of the modern workforce, the report concludes. Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us
as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds.



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