ZipRecruiter Research: 53% of Workers Say AI Has Made Their Work More Enjoyable

The survey found a gap between employer encouragement to use AI and the training workers receive.

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10/26/2026 - 09:00 AM EDT

Gains are concentrated at the top: 77% of senior leaders say AI has improved their work satisfaction, nearly double the share of entry-level employees, whose tasks AI is taking over

SANTA MONICA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- ZipRecruiter® (NYSE: ZIP), a leading online employment marketplace, released Better Work, More to Learn: The 2026 AI Worker Report, a new report on how AI is changing the day-to-day experience of work. Based on a survey of 1,500 employed U.S. workers, the report reveals that despite 42% worrying AI will make their job or skills obsolete, most workers are welcoming the technology: 53% say AI has made their work more enjoyable, compared with just 6% who say the opposite.

Those benefits aren’t shared equally: 77% of senior leaders say AI has improved their work satisfaction. That compares with only 40% of entry-level employees, even though many of the tasks AI now assists with are ones entry-level workers are most frequently asked to perform. Entry-level employees who have the most to gain from AI haven’t received the training they need to adapt.

Employers are increasingly asking for AI skills in their job postings. As of September 2026, ZipRecruiter’s marketplace data shows that job postings calling for AI capabilities are up 159% from a year earlier. Postings that call for using AI now make up over 4% of all listings compared to less than 2% a year ago.

“We are seeing a seismic shift in the ZipRecruiter job search marketplace. Experience working with AI is the fastest-rising job requirement for both technical and non-technical roles on ZipRecruiter,” said Ian Siegel, CEO of ZipRecruiter. “Currently, there is a sizable gap between how much employers want their workforce to leverage AI, and the training they are providing workers to do so.”

Additional key findings from the report include:

The push to use AI is outpacing training. 39% of workers say their employer actively encourages AI use, but only 29% say they receive enough training. 37% are learning the tools on their own.
AI is raising expectations and shortening the shelf life of skills. Nearly half of workers (50%) report higher productivity expectations, and 45% say AI is making technical skills outdated faster.
Workers are divided on how much AI they want next. 25% plan to leave their jobs due to AI-related concerns, and when thinking about their next role, 31% want jobs with less AI involvement.

To view the full report, including additional data insights and methodology, visit: ziprecruiter-research.org/economic-insights-research/2026-ai-worker-report.

About ZipRecruiter

ZipRecruiter® (NYSE:ZIP) is a leading online employment marketplace that actively connects people to their next great opportunity. ZipRecruiter’s powerful matching technology improves the job search experience for job seekers and helps businesses of all sizes find and hire the right candidates quickly. ZipRecruiter has been the #1 rated job search app on iOS & Android for the past nine years¹ and is rated the #1 job site by G2.² For more information, visit www.ziprecruiter.com.

¹Based on job seeker app ratings, during the period of January 2017 to January 2026 from AppFollow for ZipRecruiter, Glassdoor, Indeed, LinkedIn, and Monster.
² Based on G2 satisfaction ratings in N. America as of January 12, 2026.