Monitor Digital Working Society—Brief report on the first wave of surveys: Between interest, ambivalence, and uncertainty: How workers evaluate and use AI

The brief report presents key findings from the first of four representative survey waves conducted as part of the Monitor Digital Working Society study, which was carried out as part of the Opinion Monitor Artificial Intelligence 3.0 research project. The study examined the perceptions, attitudes, and usage behavior of 1,657 German respondents (1,119 working, 538 non-working) at the beginning of 2025. The predominantly ambivalent attitudes toward AI among the population show only minor differences between working and non-working respondents. In the world of work, employed people initially express a rather positive affective attitude toward AI, but this is relativized when it comes to the concrete assessment of individual working conditions. While respondents see potential for AI to reduce workloads and improve health protection, they are critical of AI's impact on data protection, social contacts, and co-determination. Specific concerns about job loss or career prospects remain limited so far. At the same time, there is evidence of increasing, predominantly voluntary use of AI in the workplace. Overall, the results point to still unstable and context-dependent attitude patterns characterized by a high degree of ambivalence.