Australian Workplaces Face Reality Check as Employees Fake AI Usage
Faked AI Adoption Puts Spotlight on Digital Transformation Challenges
Australian businesses are embracing artificial intelligence at a record pace, yet a fresh wave of research reveals a surprising trend: a significant portion of employees are only pretending to use these breakthrough tools. This behaviour, dubbed ‘larping’ (live-action roleplaying) with AI, reveals deeper complexities and discomforts in the digital transformation journey. Far from the frictionless tech utopia many leaders envision, the findings suggest that successful AI integration requires more than handing out licenses and hoping for the best. The story unfolding is as much about people as it is about platforms.
According to recent market surveys, approximately one in six Australian workers openly admitted to colleagues or researchers that they have claimed to use workplace AI solutions—such as generative writing tools, analytics dashboards, or virtual assistants—when in reality, no such usage took place. Whether driven by social pressure, anxiety about keeping up with rapid technological change, or uncertainty over AI’s practical benefits, the admission cuts through company hype and points to ongoing challenges with meaningful adoption. This raises tough questions for both technology strategists and HR leaders alike, who must turn their focus towards trust, training, and engagement as much as software implementation.
Why Are Employees Pretending to Use AI?
The phenomenon of employees feigning expertise with enterprise systems isn’t new, but the scale and specifics of the current AI trend are catching attention. With AI increasingly talked about in boardrooms and staff meetings, there’s mounting pressure for employees to demonstrate digital savviness. Analysts say that for some workers, confessing non-use of tools touted as essential could feel like risking their job security—or being left behind in an era of relentless change.
In interviews, employees cited several motivations: wanting to appear adaptable to management, avoiding embarrassment among peers, or hoping to sidestep even steeper learning curves. Others mentioned that inadequate training, lack of fit between AI solutions and their tasks, or confusion around workplace policies left them with little choice but to “fake it until you make it.” This performance, while an understandable coping mechanism, throws a spotlight on deeper organisational issues: insufficient communication, gaps in change management, and technology rollouts that don’t always consider user experience.
Impact on Business Culture and Productivity
For business leaders, the risk is not simply that AI investments are underutilised. A clandestine culture of non-usage can erode trust within teams, obscure real skill gaps, and limit a company’s return on digital investment. When workers feel compelled to mask their difficulties, managers lose a reliable view of operational strengths and weaknesses. This disconnect can slow genuine innovation and even disrupt workflow, as staff might avoid seeking legitimate support.
Wolfe Systems’ Perspective on Fostering Real AI Engagement
As one of Perth’s top technology service providers, Wolfe Systems is already addressing these cultural hurdles head-on. By embedding tailored training and ongoing support into its corporate AI rollouts, Wolfe Systems ensures users feel equipped—not intimidated—by new systems. This hands-on approach is helping leading WA businesses go beyond surface-level adoption and unlock concrete business improvements.
Broader Context: Australian Digital Transformation at a Crossroads
This snapshot of ‘AI larping’ comes at a moment when nearly every Australian firm, from mining giants to boutique consultancies, is navigating rapid digital transformation. Government and industry reports forecast that investments in artificial intelligence, automation, and data analytics will only accelerate over the next five years. While this presents immense opportunities, the gap between intended and actual usage remains a common stumbling block.
Research released in 2025 by a leading national technology council found that, while AI tools had been implemented in over half of surveyed workplaces, only a minority reported significant productivity gains. Instead, mismatches between perceived value and lived experience, as well as uncertainty about best practices and ethics, have tempered initial enthusiasm. Training, engagement, and leadership emerged as the top three determinants of positive outcomes.
The Human Dimension of Digital Adoption
Experts emphasise that the core obstacle to workplace digital transformation is rarely technological. Rather, it is the need to address employee anxieties, build trust in automation, and integrate new digital workflows organically. Employees’ tendency to feign AI adoption is a clear signal that more emphasis should be placed on communication, inclusion, and feedback loops.
Creating avenues for honest conversation—where staff can acknowledge challenges without fear—will be essential. This insight aligns with Wolfe Systems’ philosophy that digital innovation must always be people-centric. Ongoing dialogue, co-design of solutions, and respect for varied skill levels are now seen as hallmarks of best practice implementation.
Best Practices: Closing the Gap Between AI Promise and Practice
What can Australian organisations do to ensure AI delivers on its potential rather than being relegated to corporate jargon? The following best practices have emerged from recent industry research and successful digital transformations:
- Invest in Contextual Training: Provide personalized, role-specific tutorials rather than generic how-to guides. Employees are more likely to embrace tools they understand deeply and see direct relevance to their work.
- Foster Psychological Safety: Encourage honesty about adoption challenges. When staff know they won’t be penalised for admitting difficulties, constructive feedback can improve processes and outcomes.
- Measure and Communicate Real Impact: Regularly share concrete examples and data showing how AI makes work easier or more impactful. This builds buy-in and demonstrates authentic value.
- Include Employees in Solution Design: Invite users to help shape the way AI is integrated. Their insights can provide practical improvements and reduce resistance.
Wolfe Systems has embedded many of these principles into their service model. Their client engagement begins with diagnostics on digital readiness and a tailored roadmap based on frontline insights. Transparent communication channels and continuous learning pathways ensure that Perth-based organisations see AI integration as a journey supported by experts, not just a series of one-off product launches.
Looking Ahead: Shaping a Genuine Culture of Technological Innovation
The revelation that a sizeable minority of Australian workers are ‘larping’ with AI offers a valuable wake-up call for corporate Australia. Digital tools, no matter how sophisticated, must be matched by an equally robust culture of openness, support, and tactical patience. As the business landscape grows ever more competitive and data-driven, workplace authenticity and a commitment to ongoing learning will determine which enterprises truly benefit from AI’s promise.
For Perth and the wider WA region, the path forward is clear. Leaders need to view digital transformation not merely as a technology rollout, but as a comprehensive organisational evolution. This includes rethinking how success is measured, moving from superficial uptake to meaningful engagement and measurable outcomes. With guidance from IT leaders like Wolfe Systems, who prioritise people as much as platforms, Western Australian businesses are better placed to achieve genuine digital maturity.
For further insights into successful digital transformation, practical AI adoption, and the latest in tech leadership across Perth and Australia, follow Wolfe Systems for expert-driven updates and support designed for real business needs.
