We all know that AI is already part of our lives: both on a personal and professional level. It no longer surprises anyone to see on television, hear on the radio or read on some website how it influences our daily lives, and how it is changing the world of work as we knew it.
To hear first-hand your opinion on how AI influences your professional life. ADP Research, our Research branch. prepared «People at Work: a vision of the global human team» a study in which he interviewed more than 38,000 workers in Spain and 33 other countries. And I would like to analyze the main conclusions that were obtained.
Spain: between restlessness and adaptation
In the Spanish case, the report drew a significant duality. 10% of workers fear that their job could be replaced by AI, a figure that coincides with the world average but places Spain as the second European country with the greatest concern in this regard.
The generational distribution of this fear is especially revealing: while 26% of young people between 18 and 26 years old express anxiety about the possibility of being replaced, the percentage drops to 12% among adults between 27 and 39 years old and is reduced to a modest 4% among those over 55. We could say that AI is the first revolution in history in which young people are more worried than older people.
I consider that, beyond the figure, what is relevant is that AI is not only a technological change, but also an emotional one. Indeed, the introduction of AI at work is not perceived only as an evolution of tools or productivity, but as a transformation that touches the most sensitive fibers of job stability and professional identity.
The global paradox: excitement and fear in equal parts
The conclusions of the international study confirm that the debate on AI is not linear, but deeply contradictory. Thus, only 17% of workers strongly agree with the statement that AI will positively influence their work over the next year, while 33% generally agree. However, this optimistic vision coexists with an undercurrent of concern: one in ten employees admits to being afraid of AI replacing their job, and 27% of those who see its positive potential also fear being displaced by it.
This intersection of emotions suggests that technology does not generate divisions between optimists and pessimists, but rather awakens in many workers simultaneous feelings of opportunity and threat. The countries with the most favorable prospects, such as Egypt or India, are also those with the highest rates of concern about job replacement. Meanwhile, 11% of Europeans are likely to think that AI will have a positive impact on their work next year.
Ignorance and anxiety: the cost of uncertainty
One of the most significant conclusions of the report is the weight of ignorance. 44% of respondents admit they have no idea how AI will transform their work in the coming years. This lack of clarity appears to amplify anxiety, especially in sectors where automation is advancing the fastest.
In fact, among those who believe they could be replaced, 30% are actively looking for a new job—almost twice as many as those who do not perceive that threat. Uncertainty, consequently, not only erodes trust, but also directly impacts talent retention and the psychological well-being of staff.
Industry, qualification and age: a segmented reading of the impact
The study also clarifies how the perception of AI varies depending on the type of work. The technology, financial and information sectors—early adopters of automation tools—are the most optimistic about the potential of AI, but also the most concerned about the possibility of being replaced. Paradoxically, the most skilled professionals—programmers, engineers, academics—lead both enthusiasm and fear, reflecting the inherent tension between mastering the tool and being mastered by it.
In contrast, industries focused on the human factor, such as healthcare or social assistance, maintain a more cautious stance. The general perception is that AI can optimize processes, but it is difficult to replicate the empathy, judgment and personal interaction that define these jobs.
In generational terms, younger workers—who are still building their professional careers—show both greater openness to change and greater vulnerability to its possible consequences. Older people, on the other hand, tend to see AI as an external variable with limited impact on their career horizon.
The emotional pulse of the future of work
The overall conclusion makes it clear that the debate on artificial intelligence no longer revolves around mere technological adoption, but rather the way in which people process its arrival. AI not only redefines productivity, but the perception of human value at work. In a context where almost half of employees do not know how this technology will affect their role, uncertainty emerges as the central variable of the new work paradigm.
Of course, it is necessary to explain the objective of integrating AI into the work environment and respecting the balance between humans and technology, particularly in the HR sector: one hour saved thanks to AI corresponds to an additional hour dedicated to employee development and engagement.
By Bárbara Gómez, Director of Operations at ADP Iberia
