Survey: 78% of Managers Use AI for Feedback, 16% of Staff Told
Highwire's survey of 1,034 employees found most managers use AI in reviews, while only 16% of non-managers were told. Synthesia also launched an AI practice tool.
Highwire has published survey findings on how AI is used in manager-employee feedback, based on responses from 1,034 corporate employees. The company found that 78% of managers reported using AI to help draft, edit, summarize, or inform feedback or a performance review in the last year.
Only 16% of non-managerial employees surveyed said they were told that AI had influenced their review, according to Highwire.
Responses on quality were mixed. Among surveyed employees, 54% said feedback has become more specific and actionable, 34% found it more generic, and 32% said it was less useful.
The survey also found that nearly 1 in 4 employees now rehearse difficult workplace conversations with an AI tool. Only 44% of employees reported having their manager's support to practice a high-stakes conversation, while 85% said practice is key.
Separately, Synthesia released a new feature called Sessions, which lets employees practice conversations with an AI avatar and receive an assessment from an AI coach.
In June, an Atlassian study found that owning AI use at work backfired.
Quick answers
What did the Highwire survey find about AI in performance reviews?
Highwire surveyed 1,034 corporate employees. It found 78% of managers reported using AI to help draft, edit, summarize, or inform feedback or a performance review in the last year, while only 16% of non-managerial employees were told AI influenced their review.
What is Synthesia Sessions?
Sessions is a new Synthesia feature that lets employees practice conversations with an AI avatar and get an assessment from an AI coach.
How do employees rate AI-assisted feedback?
In the survey, 54% said feedback has become more specific and actionable, 34% found it more generic, and 32% said it was less useful.