Survey: Frontline employees who use AI report less 'burnout'
Despite some concerns, frontline workers who utilize artificial intelligence on the job appear to be benefiting from it.
New research from UKG, a global AI platform for HR, pay, and workforce management, found that burnout rates for in-person, frontline workers have remained steady since its 2024 study, with 76% reporting burnout today. However, more than one-in-three frontline workers say they use AI in their roles today, and those who are using AI report far lower burnout rates (41%) than those not using the technology (54%).
The UKG study, which was done in partnership with Workplace Intelligence, shows frontline workers in India use AI at work far more than in other countries (84%), followed by Mexico (52%) and Australia (39%). Only 28% of frontline workers in the U.S. and 27% in Canada say they use AI on the job.
Comparing industry use, 38% of professional services workers use AI, followed by retail, hospitality, and food service (33%), public sector (33%), distribution and logistics (32%), and healthcare (27%).
Many (43%) frontline employees are optimistic about AI and are comfortable using it for HR processes (78%), workplace tasks (76%), and writing performance evaluations (71%). Three-in-four frontline workers would also trust AI to develop career paths, recommend new roles within their organization, verify paychecks, approve time off, and find coverage for or swap their work shifts.
“The irony is, if done the right way, AI can empower people to be more human and do what they were meant to do,” said Corey Spencer, VP of AI at UKG. “Our global study shows that work needs to be done to better educate, train, and explain the ‘why’ behind AI uses on the frontline. It’s about AI and frontline employees working together to move from menial to meaningful work. When AI is deployed with a people-first focus, it doesn’t feel like you’re using technology – it feels like you’re solving problems.”
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Despite the optimism, there are still some concerns about how AI is transforming the employment landscape. Nearly two-thirds (65%) of frontline workers fear colleagues skilled in AI could take their job, and nearly say they are taking steps to “prove their worth” to employers, such as learning new skills, taking on extra projects, and working long hours, extra shifts, or when they’re sick.
One-third of employees said they would quit if forced to use AI in ways that don’t make sense, and, while a quarter are losing trust in their employer over concerns about being replaced by AI.
“AI can be a powerful tool for preventing burnout at work, yet our study reveals the trepidation around AI could cause an already-stretched workforce to log even more hours to impress their bosses,” said Dan Schawbel, managing partner at Workplace Intelligence. “This isn’t sustainable. It’s up to leaders across the frontline to have more open conversations with their teams. Sharing the organization’s short- and long-term AI plans, as well as providing more training on AI tools themselves, can help calm the frontline workforce’s fears so they can work alongside AI more efficiently and with greater personal success.”
UKG’s research is based on a survey conducted by Walr between May 29 and July 13, 2025. In total, 8,200 global workers completed the survey. The survey targeted frontline employees in the United States, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, India, Mexico and Ireland.
