What SurveyMonkey Found About The Hidden Cost Of AI At Work

LeadershipLeadership StrategiesWhat SurveyMonkey Found About The Hidden Cost Of AI At WorkByDr. Diane Hamilton,Contributor.Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. Curiosity expert improving engagement, innovation, and productivity.Follow AuthorMay 22, 2026, 09:33am EDT--:-- / --:--This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.What SurveyMonkey Found About The Hidden Cost Of AI At WorkgettyMany years ago, I was fortunate to interview former SurveyMonkey CEO Zander Lurie. SurveyMonkey had already built much of its company culture and branding around curiosity, including campaigns and leadership discussions focused on “the power of curiosity” and creating a culture where questioning and listening mattered. During our conversation, Lurie told me that he believed curiosity is at the heart of innovation. So, it was interesting to me to see that SurveyMonkey recently put out some new research about the State of Curiosity at work. The report suggests that while AI may improve speed and output, many workplaces are accidentally creating environments where employees ask fewer questions, rely less on each other, and slowly lose some of the critical thinking and curiosity that organizations actually need most. One of the most striking findings in the report is that 95% of workers describe themselves as curious, yet only 30% say their workplace strongly rewards curiosity. Harvard Business Review previously reported a similar disconnect, finding that only about 24% of employees said they regularly felt curious in their jobs, while roughly 70% said they faced barriers to asking more questions at work.Why AI At Work May Be Weakening Human JudgmentgettyWhy AI At Work May Be Weakening Human JudgmentSurveyMonkey shared that the World Economic Forum noted that curiosity is considered among the fastest-rising skills. Also in the report, Jack Soll, who is a Distinguished Professor of Management and O...