AI is reshaping frontline work, but half of Aussie workers still unaware: report

According to a survey by shift-work software company Deputy, Australia’s shift workers are embracing AI in their workplaces but many remain in the dark about how it’s being used and what rights they have.

Deputy says its ‘Better Together: How AI and Human Connection Will Transform Frontline Work’ report reveals how AI is reshaping Australia’s frontline workplaces, and warns that without informed, empowered workers, Australia’s AI ambitions could stall. Based on 1500 global anonymised survey responses from hourly shift workers across hospitality, foodservice, retail and health care, the report finds that while more than half of Australian workplaces (51%) are now using AI, nearly half (49%) are unaware that it’s being used in their workplace or unsure how it applies to them.

“AI isn’t a plug-and-play solution — it’s a culture shift,” said Silvija Martincevic, CEO of Deputy. “Our research shows nearly half of workplaces are already using AI, but only one in four workers personally interact with it, and most aren’t told how it affects their jobs. That’s not innovation, that’s isolation.

“The real challenge isn’t building smarter tools, it’s building trust. When workers are trained, consulted, and given transparency, AI becomes more than a system upgrade; it becomes shared progress. The future of work will belong to organisations that treat AI as a people project first, and a technology project second.”

AI is spreading fast but workers risk being left behind

Although Australians aren’t afraid of the technology itself, they’re frustrated by being excluded from decisions that directly affect their day-to-day work. The rollout is often invisible to those on the ground, with just one in six (16%) saying their employer is completely transparent about AI’s impact, and nearly half (49%) saying they’re unaware of AI being used in their workplace or unsure how it applies to them.

Consultation is equally rare. 42% of workers say their company rarely or never asks for input before introducing new technologies, creating a quiet disconnect between decision makers and frontline teams. Workers are not rejecting AI itself; they’re rejecting how it’s being introduced, with minimal dialogue, limited visibility, and little sense of agency.

Compared to their peers in the US (27%) and UK (28%), Australian workers are also the least informed about their rights and protections around AI use, with one in three (33%) admitting they’re unaware of them entirely.

The fear of being unprepared, not replaced

Contrary to the common narrative that AI threatens jobs, Australia’s frontline workers are more concerned about being left behind than replaced. The anxiety is not about automation — it’s about adaptation.

More than half (59%) of workers say they’re not worried about being replaced by AI, but they wish they had more training and preparation to use it effectively. Only one in four (25%) say they’ve received all the training they need, while more than a third (36%) report getting little to none. Even among those who’ve had some training, nearly four in ten (39%) wish they’d received more.

As AI becomes a routine part of frontline work, the challenge isn’t the technology itself — it’s ensuring workers are prepared, informed and empowered.

The irreplaceable value of human connection

While Australian workers recognise that AI can support their jobs, they also emphasise that two-thirds (66%) of their roles require a human or personal touch when interacting with customers and patients. Most see humans excelling where machines cannot — from building trust and connection (92%) and managing emotional needs (93%) to making ethical decisions (88%) — with 94% agreeing that compassion, emotional support and empathy will always remain uniquely human strengths.

“This research is a powerful reminder that as AI becomes more integrated into frontline work, technology must serve people — not the other way around,” said Dan Schawbel, Managing Partner at Workplace Intelligence. “Shift workers are telling us they value AI’s efficiency but want to be part of the conversation about how it’s used. Employers have a critical opportunity to bridge this trust gap by being transparent, offering training, and ensuring their teams feel supported and empowered through the transition.

“The empathy, compassion and human connection that define frontline roles can’t be automated — and organisations that recognise this balance between innovation and humanity will build stronger, more resilient workplaces for the future.”

Image credit: iStock.com/LeoWolfert