When it comes to artificial intelligence at work, Canadians are caught between excitement and hesitation. The optimism is real — more than half of workers who’ve tried AI say it makes them more productive. Yet the reality is less than one in ten actually use AI tools every day.
That disconnect was laid bare in TD Bank Group’s latest AI Insights Report. The survey shows what many in the workplace already sense: AI is quickly becoming a career asset, even a source of pressure, but most people don’t feel they’ve been trained to use it.
Kirsti Racine, who leads the AI Technology Platform at TD, has been watching the numbers closely. When I asked her why so few people use AI at work despite the flood of investment into the sector, she said the issue isn’t enthusiasm, it’s readiness.
“New technologies like AI open up exciting opportunities, but they can feel daunting,” Racine told me. “Employers are still figuring out how to pair human talent with AI innovation — from what tasks are best suited for it, to how to train people, to how to integrate these tools into existing workflows.”
The hesitation isn’t evenly spread. Younger workers are far more optimistic: 69 per cent of Gen Z and 59 per cent of Millennials say AI enhances their work, compared with 50 per cent of Gen X and just 38 per cent of Boomers. Racine sees it as a product of lived experience. “If you’ve spent most of your career in a less tech-driven environment, the rapid pace of change is harder to adapt to,” she said. “Digital natives are typically more comfortable and optimistic.”
Still, optimism doesn’t erase the training gap. Nearly two-thirds of workers who use AI say their employer hasn’t given them enough guidance, and more than a quarter strongly disagree that they’ve had adequate training. Racine sees that as a critical barrier: “Closing the gap requires all levels of an organization to collaborate. Workers need practical, role-specific training that builds real confidence. And leadership has to actively show that adoption is a shared journey, not something employees are left to figure out on their own.”
Leadership, in fact, may be the weakest link. Nearly half of Canadian employees think their managers are out of touch on AI. Racine doesn’t dismiss that. “When managers aren’t equipped or comfortable with AI, it creates uncertainty about how it fits into the future of the organization,” she said. “That can slow adoption, erode confidence, and ultimately limit the value AI can deliver.”
The result is a strange tension: AI knowledge is increasingly seen as a form of career currency, yet many workers admit they’re bluffing. The survey found that 52 per cent of people who use AI believe it gives them an edge over their peers, while 27 per cent confessed to exaggerating their skills. Racine says that’s a warning sign. “It shows growing pressure to keep up,” she told me. “Organizations need to create a culture where employees feel safe sharing where they really are on the learning curve. Without that, you get people faking confidence instead of building it.”
There are bright spots. The survey points to high engagement when workers do get access to targeted tools and support. Racine says she’s seen it firsthand in experiments where employees share their best prompts with peers, or in leadership programs that put executives through hands-on sessions with generative AI. “The point is that adoption can’t just be about rolling out new tools. It takes trust, training, and thoughtful leadership.”
In other words, Canadian workers don’t need more hype about AI’s potential — they need help using it. And without that support, the promise of AI in the workplace risks remaining just that: promise.