New research from Perceptyx, the AI company for Employee Experience (EX), reveals a significant gap in Artificial Intelligence (AI) readiness between Europe and North America. European employees are lagging in both the adoption of AI tools and confidence in how their organizations are deploying them, suggesting a critical need for transparent, human-centered strategies to prevent a widening EX divide.
The study, based on a survey of over 3,600 employees, highlights that while optimism for Generative AI (GenAI) is high, the pace of change and level of trust in Europe are markedly lower than in the US, creating substantial hurdles for digital transformation.
Key Findings on the European Readiness Gap
The data points to three main areas where European organizations must focus to accelerate responsible AI integration:
1. Slow Adoption and Untapped Demand
The research indicates that AI is simply not yet integrated into daily workflows in most European companies, despite employee interest:
- Only 8% of European employees report that their organizations are fully leveraging AI—less than half the rate of North American teams (17%).
- Crucially, nearly one in five Europeans (19%) want to use AI but haven’t been given the opportunity, revealing a significant untapped demand for tools and training that organizations are failing to meet.
2. Low Trust and Fairness Concerns
Hesitation in Europe is directly tied to a lack of transparency and trust in how AI systems operate:
- Just 57% of European employees believe AI-driven decisions are fair, compared with 62% in North America.
- Only 59% understand how AI adoption decisions are made in their organizations, underscoring a failure in communication regarding strategy and governance.
Sam Dawson, Senior Director of Workforce Transformation at Perceptyx, notes: “In Europe, trust is the real currency of GenAI. We are seeing organizational silence is slowing adoption; employees want straight talk about how AI will change their jobs.”
3. Manager Enablement Lags
The success of any organizational change relies on managers, but they currently lack the necessary support to guide their teams through the AI shift:
- Only 57% of European employees feel their managers are actively helping them navigate AI-driven changes, compared with 66% in North America.
This indicates managers need a clear “playbook” and greater resources to effectively bridge the readiness gap and lead adoption from the front.
Strategic Imperatives for European EX Leaders
The findings underscore that AI adoption cannot be treated as merely a technical project; it must be managed as a fundamental employee experience challenge. Perceptyx’s guidance for European organizations focuses on restoring confidence and empowering people:
- Prioritize Transparency: Clearly communicate the intended use of AI, the expected impacts on job roles, and how governance and ethical safeguards are being implemented.
- Equip Managers: Provide managers with specific training, resources, and communication templates to guide their teams through AI-driven change and address individual anxieties.
- Ensure Equity: Proactively address employee concerns regarding fairness to ensure that AI adoption benefits all employees, not just a select few.
By prioritizing trust, transparency, and human-centered adoption, European companies can turn current hesitation into an opportunity, accelerating AI usage while simultaneously strengthening engagement, innovation, and long-term workforce resilience.