A third of workers believe having an AI boss would make them more productive

Date:
Tue, 08 Sep 2026 05:00:00 +0000

Description:
Over 33% of employees feel they would be more productive under an AI boss, with directors also favourable towards replacing middle managers with agentic solutions.

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 36.7% of UK workers say answering to an AI boss would improve their productivity However, almost 75% of those workers are happier answering to a flesh-and-blood superior Meanwhile, almost 40% of managers dont believe that AI can deliver any productivity gains Over a third (36.7%) of UK employees think an AI boss
would mean an improvement to their productivity, with 64% of directors expecting similar gains, new research has found.

But despite these results looking good for AI, however, it seems many people prefer the idea of performance reviews being delivered face-to-face, rather than via chatbot . However, there is one key opponent to AI managers. The human-based middle manager layer is unsurprisingly less swayed by the
prospect of being replaced by AI, with almost 40% feeling productivity gains are unlikely. Latest Videos From TechRadar Watch full video here: Flattened structures? The research from Careerminds UK contacted 600 full-time UK employees and asked them about their thoughts on AI in the workplace, also found that younger colleagues were more likely to be favourable to an AI management layer.

The survey comes at an interesting time, with predictions of flattened structures seemingly focused on the middle manager layer. If businesses feel that they can adopt AI to replace managers particularly at a time when management training seems to be at a premium then they need to act
carefully. You may like Workers are spending hours every week 'botsitting' to make sure AI does its job properly Employees are increasingly asking AI questions they previously have asked their co-workers Barely any workers
think their job is safe as worries about AI refuse to go away

Productivity boosts are one thing, but employees also feel a human superior
is preferable to AI for things like delivering performance feedback (74.2%).

AI may be able to ease some of that pressure by taking certain tasks off managers plates, said Amanda Augustine, resident careers expert at
Careerminds UK and a Certified Professional Career Coach (CPCC). But the feedback findings make it clear that employees still value human judgement, context and connection. 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. The artificial middle manager While the productivity boost expected by 36.7% of those surveyed (versus 25.5% who feel they would be less productive) might seem encouraging, there is a challenging aspect to the reports findings.

Some 64% of directors and above expect an AI manager to deliver productivity gains, with 28% of those expecting it to be significant. Among senior staff, the figure is 42.6%.

Among managers, that 38.5% figure is worrying, as it implies almost 40% of managers are expecting AI to replace them. Will the C-Suite have its way? Should it? What to read next Employers now expect basic AI skills from all workers Half of workers worry AI will still take their job, as agent usage rises Workers are worried AI will expose they don't know how to do their jobs properly

We shouldnt confuse employees seeing potential productivity gains from AI
with wanting technology to replace their managers altogether. Middle managers are already feeling the squeeze, caught between growing expectations from senior leaders and the needs of their teams," added Augustine.

The opportunity for employers is to use AI to help managers become more effective, not simply replace them.

At a time when organizations are increasingly going hard on AI, some recognition of what employees need to succeed is important.

Rather than focusing on efficiency, Augustine observed leaders need to think about their employees, particularly those who have just started their careers who are more likely to think about what they need from a manager day to day, whether thats guidance, development, reassurance or context. 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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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/pro/a-third-of-workers-believe-having-an-ai-boss-wou ld-make-them-more-productive


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