Most Dutch Workers Ignore AI Job Threat Despite Rapid Workplace Integration
Netherlands, Saturday, 24 January 2026.
Over 80% of Dutch professionals aren’t considering whether AI will replace their jobs, even as companies increasingly deploy artificial intelligence across operations. Research reveals only 26% actively use AI daily, while tech giants cite AI-driven layoffs and HR departments face potential 66% automation of tasks within two years. The disconnect between AI’s accelerating workplace presence and worker preparedness highlights an urgent need for proactive reskilling initiatives as the technology fundamentally reshapes job roles.
The Great Workplace Adjustment Reveals Deep AI Disconnect
While businesses accelerate AI implementation across operations, a striking gap emerges between corporate adoption and employee awareness. According to an international Remote study, over 80% of surveyed professionals are not actively considering whether artificial intelligence will replace their jobs [1]. This finding becomes particularly concerning when viewed alongside 2025 data showing AI was responsible for 54,694 layoffs worldwide, according to Challenger, Gray & Christmas [1]. The disconnect is further illustrated by Dutch workplace statistics, where only 26% of employees actively use AI in their daily work, meaning 74% have yet to integrate these tools into their routine [2]. This pattern suggests that while AI technology continues advancing rapidly, the workforce remains largely unprepared for fundamental changes already reshaping their professional landscape.
Corporate AI Integration Outpaces Employee Adaptation
The pace of corporate AI integration has accelerated dramatically in 2025, with major technology companies leading significant workforce restructuring. Tech giants including Amazon, Meta, and Microsoft have cited AI as a primary reason for job cuts, while banks in the Netherlands have announced similar measures [1]. The scale of this transformation becomes evident in HR departments, where Anastasia Pshegodskaya, Global Director of Talent Acquisition at Remote, estimates that two-thirds of HR tasks could be automated by AI within one to two years [1]. However, this rapid integration faces significant structural challenges, as one-third of 3,650 HR professionals in Remote’s Global Workplace Report 2025 stated that company processes consist of unlinked AI tools [1]. Pshegodskaya describes the current state as “exciting, but frankly quite messy,” noting that HR departments must currently maintain three, four, or even five separate systems to guide a candidate through the application process [1].
Dutch Workers Show Mixed Reactions to AI Implementation
Dutch employees demonstrate varying levels of comfort and trust with AI integration in their workplace activities. Research conducted by Fellowmind among over 1,100 Dutch employees reveals that 38% do not use AI in their work at all, while an additional 9% keep their AI usage hidden from their supervisors [3][4]. Perhaps more tellingly, one in five Dutch workers considers using AI at work equivalent to cheating [3][4]. Trust levels vary significantly depending on the type of task, with 64% of Dutch employees using AI for more efficient work organization, and 49% utilizing it for agenda management or priority setting [3]. However, confidence drops dramatically for more personal applications, with only 23% trusting AI to recognize burnout symptoms and merely 17% relying on it for feedback on their work performance [3][4]. Martien Merks, CEO of Fellowmind Nederland, contextualizes this hesitation by comparing it to earlier technology adoption: “Every new technology that makes work easier can initially give the feeling that you’re cheating. We saw this earlier with the calculator” [3].
Bottom-Up Innovation Shows Promise Despite Organizational Gaps
Some Dutch organizations are successfully implementing AI through employee-driven initiatives rather than top-down mandates. At Waterschap Drents Overijsselse Delta, director of operations Mirjam Werges reports that AI has taken tremendous flight over the past year, with employees identifying 90 ideas to automate routine and simpler work tasks [5]. The organization’s approach centers on their AI Café, where employees learn to work with Copilot and develop their own automation solutions through a “social learning” model—10% through training, 70% through hands-on experience, and 20% through collaboration and knowledge exchange [5]. This bottom-up approach has generated practical applications including question-and-answer lists, offer analysis, and invoice status tracking [5]. However, organizational readiness remains inconsistent across the Netherlands, with 48% of organizations lacking a clear AI strategy, according to Integron research [2]. Additionally, 45% of employees express concerns about data security when using AI tools [2], while 39% of workers say they need clear guidelines from employers about AI usage boundaries [3][4].