Samantha is a senior associate at Cooper & Smokey (CS), a legal consulting firm. She started working at CS shortly after graduating in the top 3% of her class from a top law school. The partners at her firm and her clients have been impressed with her performance. Samantha is competent, dependable, and well-versed in an array of legal matters. She has always been confident in her skills and never doubted her abilities. Imposter syndrome — the feelings of inadequacy that individuals may experience and a fear that others may discover they do not belong in the positions that they occupy — had not been an issue. But recently, Samantha has begun to question her ability to excel given the firm’s shift towards automation.
Thoughts of “AI can synthesize data faster than I ever could” often occupy her mind. Samantha now feels incompetent, insecure, and wonders whether she will be replaced by the AI tools her firm recently adopted. For Samantha, FOBO – Fear of Becoming Obsolete—is overwhelming.
Samantha’s experience is reflective of other employees who — despite having the necessary talent and qualifications to perform their job — may begin to feel inadequate with the onset of AI. An Ernst & Young survey found that 54% of senior leaders felt like failures in leading their companies’ AI implementation. AI may be a form of impostorization by triggering feelings associated with imposter syndrome.
Impostorization refers to the policies, practices, and seemingly innocuous interactions that make (or intend to make) individuals question their intelligence, competence, and sense of belonging in the positions they occupy. With reports of overwhelmed and exhausted employees, it is imperative that managers avoid impostorizing employees and thwarting the productivity and efficiency that AI is intended to enhance.
How AI May Trigger Imposter Syndrome
As noted by Dimitris Bountolos, Chief Information and Innovation Officer at Ferrovial, in an interview titled, “9 Mistakes Leaders Make With AI Strategy,” one of the major mistakes is failing to consider that, “At the end, any transformation across the entire company is connected with the human factor.” The following are examples of the impostorizing effects of AI when a people-centered approach to its implementation is not used.
AI efficiency as a self-perceived human deficiency. Touted as technology that can improve accuracy and reduce human errors, AI is now used by companies. In a recent survey, 78% of respondents said their company uses AI in at least one business function. But with increased use comes the increased risk that previously confident employees may view themselves as insufficient. The skills and talents that may have contributed to their success may now pale in comparison to the capabilities of bots. Employees’ self-esteem may take a toll.
Technology as formidable and employees as disposable. As employees question the value of their skills, they may also fear that others will discover that they are a fraud and do not belong in the positions that they occupy. Job insecurity and self-perceived disposability may surface. Employees may wonder, “If a bot can do what I do – better and faster, then what am I doing here?” “Will I be replaced?” A survey by the American Psychological Association found that 38% of employees worried that AI would make part or all of their job obsolete and 41% of those worried about being replaced by AI also believed they did not matter to their employer.
Learning curve anxiety. The expectation to quickly learn AI tools can induce shame and anxiety for employees who may be slower to learn. Research by Ernst & Young found that 66% of employees reported concerns about falling behind if they do not use AI at work and 65% of employees are anxious about not knowing how to use AI ethically. In addition to anxiety, the fast-paced transition to AI may inadvertently create a distinction between employees perceived as “smart” vs. “slow,” which can fuel a stigma of incompetence that is characteristic of imposter syndrome.
While unintended, AI may trigger or intensify feelings of inadequacy, undervaluation and unbelonging in any employees but especially those who are already underrepresented in AI roles, including women, ethnic minorities, and people with disabilities. Reports indicate that the gender digital divide has widened, as women represent 29% of AI-skilled workers compared to 71% of men. Less than 25% of AI workers identify as racial or ethnic minorities. These groups may question their fit for AI roles – not because they do not have the necessary skills, but because their numeric and structural underrepresentation suggests, “If people like me belonged here, then there would be others like me, but they are not.”
How Managers May Avoid AI Impostorization
Scientists assert that AI is here to stay. And while many laud its transformative potential, it may also impostorize employees if it is not effectively implemented and managed. There are steps managers can take to avoid the impostorizing effects of AI and instead, foster a culture that inspires confidence, innovation, and continuous learning.
Ensure equitable upskilling. An EY survey found that 80% of employees said more training would make them more comfortable using AI at work, yet 73% are concerned that their organization is not offering enough resources. Provide employees with AI tools and continued learning opportunities – not just one-off trainings – so they may develop the skills necessary to use and adapt to emerging technologies. Ensure equitable access to training and support. A report found that women, older workers, and people with disabilities tend to have less access to AI training. Upskilling and reskilling may help not only build employees’ confidence but also mitigate FOBO.
Redefine value and contribution. Emotional intelligence, strategic thinking, judgement, and interpersonal skills to effectively lead and navigate team dynamics are among the skills that AI cannot fully replicate. Employees are needed. Reassure them that they have value. In evaluating performance, consider metrics that assess these skills as well as non-technical contributions that still support the company’s integration of AI, including identifying ethical considerations and understanding the regulatory landscape. Keep employees at the forefront and make their value explicit in your AI messaging.
Normalize the learning curve. Frame AI tools as learnable not innate. Some employees may learn faster than others, and it is imperative to encourage employees to have a growth (not a fixed) mindset. Convey to them that you believe in their ability to learn these tools and provide them with additional support as needed. If you have struggled or encountered challenges in your own learning, share your experience with employees. Doing so can foster empathy and help keep employees’ feelings of impostorism (i.e., unintelligence, incompetence, failure) at bay. And in light of reports that competitive work environments can lead employees to engage in social comparison and trigger impostorism, avoid publicly celebrating employees who are learning and using AI tools faster than others. Reward effort not just mastery.
AI is revolutionizing the workplace and, in the process, shaping how employees view themselves. If unmanaged, technological innovations may inadvertently erode employee confidence and elicit a fear of being discovered as a fraud — elements of imposter syndrome. But by providing training and support, fostering a culture of learning and experimentation, and conveying the complementarity between AI capabilities and human skills, managers may avoid impostorizing employees.