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An AI-powered boss might bring to mind scenes from sci-fi movies or an episode of Black Mirror. It’s a sign of human progress, but admittedly, sounds a little dystopian. Surely today’s employees would prefer a flesh-and-blood boss—or so you might think.
A recent survey from Resume Now published in Newsweek revealed some surprising findings: 66% of workers believe AI managers would be fairer and more efficient. For human managers, that number may be unsettling—but there’s an important caveat. Employees are open to AI in certain areas of management, not across the board. Still, the survey suggests a growing willingness to embrace AI at work. And that’s worth paying attention to, because companies that fail to adopt new technology and rethink how they operate risk losing their edge.
At Jotform, we’re constantly exploring ways to integrate AI into our workflows—including at the managerial level. Here’s a closer look at why employees say they’d prefer AI bosses—and to what extent companies should, too.
Why Employees Secretly Want AI Bosses
There’s no such thing as a dumb question. It’s easy to say, but trickier to make people actually believe it. For example, in customer service, we’ve found that customers sometimes prefer asking questions to an AI agent because they’re freed from the anxiety of looking “dumb” in front of another person.
In the same vein, some employees value the judgment-free zone of working with an AI manager, where they can ask anything without fear of how it will be received. As Forbes contributor Dr. Diane Hamilton notes, “In many workplaces, people hesitate to raise their hands because they do not want to look unprepared. With AI, they can ask anything, at any time, without worrying about what their boss will think.”
AI also offers consistent, round-the-clock support, removing bottlenecks on administrative tasks and keeping momentum high. While that may sound like purely a business benefit, I’ve noticed how it impacts employee morale—they’re more productive, more motivated, and often enjoy their work more.
For example, the employment firm Student Marketing Agency introduced AI managers (developed by US-based company Inspira) to handle scheduling, timekeeping, deadline reminders, billing, editing, and more. Afterward, they observed that employees worked faster, while human managers could focus on more meaningful responsibilities.
And when it comes to objective matters—like workload distribution or salary adjustments—AI offers something human managers can’t always guarantee: freedom from favoritism or moods. That consistency builds trust. Having a truly meritocratic business is a lofty ideal—AI-powered managers can help.
Why Companies Should Want AI Bosses, Too
The benefits of adding AI-powered members to your management team are clear: productivity gains, less fear of bias, and more engagement.
One of the less explicit benefits of delegating certain management tasks to AI is that it frees human managers to focus their time and energy on the kind of work that only they can do—like coaching, mentoring, and strategizing business growth; the tasks that bring real value to the organization. Indeed, for the Resume Now survey, 64 percent of respondents said motivating teams was a skill best left to humans.
Consider a soccer team that’s struggling on the field. An AI tool might map out the best strategic plays, but only a human can step in and rally the players. Think of Sir Alex Ferguson at halftime of the 1999 Champions League final, when Manchester United trailed Bayern Munich 1–0. His message was simple and powerful: “You will regret not giving everything for the rest of your lives.” United went on to stage a riveting comeback and win.
Only humans have the empathy to understand and tap into fellow team members’ emotions.
Ultimately, human managers should fear AI teammates less and welcome them more. These tools lift some of the tedious work off their plates, freeing them to focus on more meaningful responsibilities.
AI To Augment, Not Replace
The adoption of AI always comes with a proviso: use the tools you’ve tested and trust for routine, manual tasks, but avoid over-reliance. AI should augment human managers, not replace them. And leaders should be transparent about how they use it—research shows employees are more likely to trust AI when its role is openly explained, especially in team management.
Be open—radically open. Encourage everyone, from interns to senior managers, to use AI transparently and in ways that amplify the human side of their work.