AI Is Being Used, but It's Hardly Convincing: Swiss Workers Remain Cautious
The «Hopes and Fears 2026» study by PwC Switzerland shows that Swiss employees feel secure in their jobs in the short term but are skeptical about their long-term prospects. Many employees also remain unconvinced of the benefits of artificial intelligence.
The Swiss labor market appears robust, yet many employees are cautious about future demand for their skills. They have less trust in leadership and are more skeptical about the benefits of artificial intelligence (AI) than workers worldwide. At the same time, there is a growing desire for more guidance on career development prospects and the concrete benefits of technological change. This is shown in the latest edition of the «Hopes and Fears» study by PwC Switzerland.
High usage, low perceived benefit
The gap between AI usage and its benefits is particularly striking. In Switzerland, generative AI is used more frequently—with 28 percent of users using it daily—than the global average of 22 percent. At the same time, Swiss employees are significantly less likely to perceive concrete added value: Only 14 percent say AI makes them more motivated or confident. Only 10 percent see a clear improvement in the quality of their work; just 9 percent say AI enhances their skills and creativity; and only 22 percent of respondents report that AI helps them tackle more complex tasks.
The message is clear: AI is being used in Switzerland, but it has not yet won over many employees. «Switzerland has a stable and highly qualified workforce, but there isn’t a strong sense of optimism. Many employees are cautious when it comes to their professional future, leadership, or the actual added value of AI,» says Adrian Jones, partner and head of Workforce at PwC Switzerland.
Employees with an affinity for AI stand to benefit, while the majority risks being left behind
The situation is particularly critical for the vast majority of workers: Worldwide, more than half—namely 56 percent—of employees belong to the core workforce—those employees who possess neither particularly rare skills nor strong AI competencies. In this group, only 40 percent say they receive the necessary training and development opportunities.
At the other end of the spectrum are the so-called “pioneers”: employees with strong AI skills and rare, highly sought-after skills. They benefit the most from the transformation and, at the same time, are the most likely to leave the company. Twenty-nine percent of this group say they are very or extremely likely to change employers in the coming year.
In Switzerland, this pattern is even more pronounced. 69 percent of employees belong to the stable core workforce. At 8 percent, the proportion of true pioneers in Switzerland is significantly smaller than the global average of 14 percent—in Switzerland, this group consists primarily of IT executives from medium-sized companies.
This partly explains why the Swiss labor market appears relatively stable but not very dynamic. While short-term job security is viewed relatively positively, employees are becoming more cautious when it comes to the demand for their own profession over the next three years.
Low trust, low commitment, lack of direction
Added to this are shortcomings in trust and direction, which further slow down the transformation: Only 21 percent of employees trust their immediate supervisor, and only 17 percent trust top management. Only 19 percent have a clear understanding of which skills will be in demand in the future. At the same time, Swiss employees place great value on culture, flexibility, and autonomy: 54 percent cite a negative corporate culture as a deal-breaker for a job, and 40 percent oppose increased monitoring in the workplace.
«Anyone who wants to attract and retain talent in Switzerland must offer more than just job security and a salary. Trust, a strong corporate culture, genuine flexibility, and transparent opportunities for growth are crucial. This is particularly evident when it comes to AI: simply using it doesn’t create acceptance on its own—employees need support and targeted training so that AI leads to real productivity, measurable business value, and a better employee experience,» says Teena Madhvani, Partner for People & Organization at PwC Switzerland.
About the study
For the «Hopes and Fears 2026» study, 1,000 salaried workers in Switzerland aged 18 and older were surveyed between May and June 2026. Worldwide, approximately 50,000 employees from 48 countries and 29 industries participated.
Source: www.pwc.ch
