Opinion Monitor Artificial Intelligence. Shaping the Use of AI in the Workplace – Between Autonomous Use and Workload Reduction: Brief Report on a Conjoint Study

This brief report presents key findings from a conjoint study conducted in May 2026 as part of the project Opinion Monitor Artificial Intelligence 3.0. The analysis examines the preferences of around 2,800 dependent employees in Germany regarding different design options for artificial intelligence (AI) systems in the workplace. The findings show that the assessment of AI systems is not determined solely by their technical performance. The strongest influence on preference formation is employees’ autonomy in AI use: respondents prefer systems that they can use at their own discretion, while mandatory use is clearly rejected. The effects on workload and the need for training are also important. Employees prefer AI systems that reduce workload or at least do not create additional work demands, and that are accompanied by practical, time-limited training. The quality of AI outputs, monitoring of AI use, and possible effects on social contacts also influence the choice between systems, but are less decisive in direct comparison. Overall, the findings show that introducing AI in the workplace is not only a technical task but also a matter of work and organizational design.