AI use in Europe is rising fast, but 65% of professionals are still concerned about privacy, accuracy, and trust. This is the main reason for caution that keeps adoption at around 58% across the workforce according to new research by MyPerfectCV®, a leading CV-building platform.
The European AI at Work Report 2026, based on a survey of 1,000 employed adults across the UK, Germany, France, Spain, and Italy, shows that 58% of workers now use AI at work in some capacity. However, as high as 65% express concern about how their personal data may be used to train AI tools. The findings highlight a workforce that is actively experimenting with AI while remaining cautious about its risks.
AI use in Europe amongst professionals
- AI is already part of everyday work: 58% of European workers use AI at work in some form, including 36% who use it at least weekly
- Privacy concerns run deep: 65% worry about their data being used to train AI tools
- Workplace acceptance is widespread: 79% say their employer permits AI use to some degree
- Trust remains shaky: 58% have encountered AI misinformation, including fake quotes or nonexistent data
- AI use extends well beyond work: 73% use AI in their personal lives, most commonly for travel advice
- Overall sentiment remains cautiously positive: 66% say AI’s impact on society over the past year has been positive
“European workers are clearly experimenting with AI and finding value in it, especially for communication and organisation,” said Dr. Jasmine Escalera, Career Expert at MyPerfectCV. “At the same time, concerns around accuracy, transparency, and data use show that trust hasn’t fully caught up with adoption.”
AI is becoming a weekly habit at work
More than a third (36%) of European workers now use AI on the job at least weekly, signaling that AI is moving from experimentation to routine use:
- 11% use AI every day
- 25% use it a few times a week
- 17% use it a few times a month
- 6% use it occasionally
- 42% do not use AI at work
In total, 58% of workers now interact with AI at work, with frequent use increasingly concentrated among daily and weekly users.
How workers are using AI
Among those who use AI at work, the most common applications are:
- Translation and proofreading — 36%
- Research and brainstorming — 33%
- Data analysis — 28%
- Content creation — 25%
- Task planning — 22%
- Reporting — 17%
- Visual and presentation creation — 13%
These uses suggest AI is most often supporting communication, analysis, and organisation rather than fully replacing tasks.
Privacy concerns with AI use in Europe are widespread
Data usage is a key source of unease:
- 17% are very worried about their data being used to train AI
- 48% are somewhat worried
- 25% are not worried
- 10% were unaware this was happening
In total, 65% of European workers express some level of concern about AI data privacy.
Managers are cautiously supportive
Workplace acceptance of AI is growing, but often with limits:
- 26% say their manager openly encourages AI use
- 53% say AI is allowed for limited purposes, such as research
- 12% say AI use is strongly discouraged, with possible consequences
- 9% say they use AI discreetly because their manager disapproves
Overall, nearly eight in ten workplaces allow AI use in some form, reflecting cautious adoption rather than full endorsement.
Trust remains a major concern in AI use by European professionals
Despite growing use, trust in AI tools remains fragile:
- 58% of workers report experiencing AI errors or misinformation, including:
- Fake quotes or nonexistent data — 17%
- Poor understanding of prompts or context — 17%
- Wrong or misleading answers — 14%
- Low-quality content — 9%
- 42% say they have not encountered issues so far
AI use in Europe is expanding beyond the workplace
AI adoption extends into personal life as well:
- Travel advice — 28%
- Education and studying — 27%
- Cooking and meal planning — 26%
- Shopping recommendations — 21%
- Entertainment recommendations — 20%
- Financial planning — 20%
- Home improvement / DIY — 19%
- Physical health — 18%
- Mental health counseling — 10%
- 27% say they do not use AI in their personal life
Public sentiment: Cautious optimism
When asked about AI’s overall impact on society in the past year:
- 10% say very positive
- 56% say somewhat positive
- 25% say somewhat negative
- 9% say very negative
Overall, two-thirds (66%) view AI’s impact as positive, even as concerns persist.
Methodology
The findings presented in this report are based on a regionally representative survey conducted by MyPerfectCV using Pollfish on October 10-12, 2025. The survey collected responses from 1,000 employed adults in the UK, Germany, France, Spain, and Italy who are currently employed full-time. Respondents answered a mix of yes/no, single-selection, and multiple-choice questions covering AI usage habits, managerial guidance, trust and data privacy considerations, and perceptions of AI’s broader societal impact in 2026.
Demographic Breakdown:
The survey sample was balanced by gender, with 50% identifying as male and 50% as female. Participants represented a range of age groups: 19.5% aged 18–28 (Gen Z), 30.4% aged 29–44 (Millennials), 25.4% aged 45–60 (Gen X), and 24.7% aged 61–79 (Baby Boomers). Respondents represented diverse industries, income levels, and roles across the European workforce.
