Most companies are now more open to artificial intelligence (AI). Almost every large company is experimenting with the technology in some form, including many organisations across Singapore and the wider Asia-Pacific (APAC) region. According to BCG, 78% of surveyed employees in APAC, including Singapore, said they use AI at work, compared to 72% globally.

Nevertheless, integrating the technology into everyday work remains difficult. What is holding it back? Doubts about the accuracy of generative AI, uncertainty about appropriate use, and concerns about job security are all hindering acceptance. Quite simply, there is still a lack of trust.

This trust gap prevents companies from fully realising the potential of intelligent automation. Trust in AI develops much like trust in people: once it becomes clear that AI works reliably, more tasks can be automated with confidence. The question is how organisations can build that trust. The answer starts with taking fears of job losses seriously, demonstrating the benefits of AI through concrete results, and maintaining visible and credible human oversight.

Taking fears seriously

Trust begins with openly addressing the concerns people have about AI. Above all, this includes the fear of losing one’s job to automated systems. According to the same BCG survey, although APAC employees are adopting AI faster than their global peers, they are also more concerned about job losses than workers in other regions. Trust begins with how people feel, and many employees fear becoming redundant.

The crucial question is whether AI replaces a person or merely takes over individual tasks. Those who assume that entire jobs will be eliminated by AI often overestimate the technology’s actual capabilities. While processes can be automated, that alone is not enough to create fully fledged roles or professions. Genuine human expertise, experience and the ability to coordinate remain essential, and these are precisely the areas where AI is still limited.

Making the benefits visible

For employees to trust AI, it is crucial to expose them systematically to first-hand experience.

One possible starting point is a pilot project comparing existing workflows with AI-supported alternatives, an approach increasingly used by enterprises across Singapore and the wider APAC region. Take a job advertisement that receives 500 applications. Instead of having AI recruitment software analyse all 500, it could process only 50. At the same time, a human resources (HR) team reviews the same 50 applications. If the top three candidates identified by both sides match, trust in the technology begins to grow. The more often those matches occur, the stronger the acceptance.

A phased approach is advisable. Start with low-risk applications before moving into more complex use cases. With growing experience, employees will use the systems more naturally and share their knowledge with others. If the model’s results are seen as reliable and understandable, the willingness to integrate it permanently into daily work will increase.

This approach also helps create an environment in which employees feel their concerns about AI are being taken seriously by leadership. In fact, BCG found “a clear correlation” between leadership support and employee sentiment about how AI might affect job satisfaction and career growth.

That finding underlines an important point: if employers want to increase adoption among workers, addressing fears and establishing a clear AI narrative are essential. Some organisations may be tempted to ban AI use altogether, but the same BCG survey found that 58% of employees in APAC are willing to circumvent such restrictions. The better way forward is to formalise both governance and employee access to AI, rather than allowing informal and potentially risky usage to take root.

Securely integrating AI tools

Another challenge is the perception that using AI makes an employee’s work less authentic. This uncertainty often arises because many people still do not fully understand what AI can and cannot do. Managers should take these concerns seriously and show the practical benefits the technology can bring to daily work. Personal efficiency gains can strengthen confidence in one’s own contribution and encourage greater openness within teams.

Simply permitting the use of tools like ChatGPT is not enough. Organisations should also ask employees about their experiences. Which prompts were used? What results were achieved? In which areas has the tool proven useful? Early involvement, combined with clear explanations of the system’s limitations, helps build acceptance. Employees need to understand which tasks may be automated and where human oversight remains necessary.

In Singapore, where CPA Australia found that AI adoption stands at 92%, building a strong culture of trust and transparency will be essential for organisations that want to remain competitive and inclusive in a digital future.

Crucially, transparency alone is not enough. A genuine understanding of employees’ perspectives is just as important.

Growing reliance on AI will inevitably raise concerns, but its transformative potential should not be ignored. To harness it effectively, organisations need proactive leadership, deliberate workflow redesign, and thoughtful investment in continuous learning. A strategic approach like this can foster cross-functional collaboration and trust, helping organisations in Singapore maintain their competitive edge through responsible innovation.