What Workers Really Think About AI—and What Small Business Owners Can Learn

Artificial intelligence is quickly becoming part of everyday business, but new research suggests employers may be getting one important part of the AI equation wrong: the people expected to use it. A new Glassdoor analysis of employee reviews reveals that workers’ attitudes toward AI have become significantly more negative as its use has grown. For small business owners considering AI adoption, the findings offer an important lesson: successful implementation isn’t simply about choosing the right technology. It’s also about bringing employees along. Let’s talk through the findings of this research.

Workers Are Talking About AI More—and Feeling Worse About It

Glassdoor found that mentions of AI in employee reviews increased 240 percent between May 2025 and May 2026. But the tone of those conversations has changed dramatically. In 2019, 81 percent of reviews mentioning AI did so only in the “pros” section. In 2026, just 43 percent were exclusively positive, while 53 percent mentioned AI only as a “con.”

That doesn’t mean workers are universally opposed to AI. Rather, employees appear increasingly concerned about how their employers are using it. Among critical reviews, 20 percent expressed concerns about AI replacing jobs, while others objected to being forced to use AI tools, believed AI was distracting companies from their core business, or worried about workplace surveillance and unrealistic productivity expectations. For small businesses, that distinction matters.

AI Adoption Doesn’t Have to Mean AI Anxiety

There is encouraging evidence that AI can benefit smaller companies and their employees when it is implemented thoughtfully. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s 2025 Empowering Small Business report found that 58 percent of small businesses were using generative AI. Among small businesses using AI, 82 percent had increased their workforce over the previous year.

The SBA Office of Advocacy has likewise found that small businesses are increasingly adopting AI for applications including marketing automation. The message is that AI doesn’t necessarily have to replace employees, but it can help a small team accomplish more without requiring the business to immediately add headcount.

Employees Want More Than a New Tool

Glassdoor’s research offers a particularly useful roadmap for business owners. Positive employee comments about AI tended to fall into two categories: companies benefiting from AI and companies that provided employees with tools, training and support to use it.

That aligns with research from Microsoft, which studied approximately 6,000 knowledge workers across industries. Researchers found that access to generative AI changed how employees worked, including reducing time spent on email and helping employees complete documents faster.

But simply providing access isn’t enough. A separate Microsoft research experiment found that the way employees are supported in using AI can influence the quality and productivity of their work.

For a small business, that could mean starting with a simple question: What frustrating, repetitive task could AI help an employee do better or faster?

 Make Employees Part of the Process

Small business owners don’t need to launch an “AI transformation” overnight. Instead, let your employees help identify opportunities. Ask which tasks consume too much time, where customers experience delays, and what administrative work gets in the way of higher-value responsibilities. Then test AI on a small scale.

Most importantly, explain why you’re introducing it. If employees believe AI is being implemented primarily to eliminate jobs, resistance is understandable. If they see it as a tool that can reduce tedious work and allow them to focus on customers, creativity and problem-solving, adoption can look very different. That’s particularly important because Glassdoor found that workers who viewed AI positively were 47 percent less likely to apply for another job after leaving their review.

For small businesses competing with larger employers for talent, creating an environment where employees see technology as an opportunity—not a threat—could become a meaningful advantage.

Investing in AI Means Investing in Your Business

The AI opportunity for small businesses is real, but technology alone won’t create the return. Businesses need the right tools, training and resources to put AI to work effectively. That may mean investing in software, employee training, marketing systems or other technology that helps your team become more productive.

When additional working capital is needed to make those investments, ARF Financial can help. Flexible business financing can give growing businesses access to capital for technology, hiring, marketing and other strategic investments—so you can build an AI-enabled business… without losing sight of the people who make it successful.