Report:Romanian employees lag behind in AI adoption at work

Romania ranks 41st out of 48 countries analysed in the PwC Workforce Hopes and Fears Survey 2025 regarding the use of artificial intelligence (AI), with 44% of Romanian employees reporting they used AI in the past year, compared with an average usage rate of 57%.India and Vietnam top the list, at 84%, followed by China at 78%. At the other end are Japan and Hungary, where fewer than 40% of employees reported using AI in their work."AI has significant potential to increase productivity and creativity, but many employees are hesitant to adopt it. This reluctance is mainly due to fragmented implementation and the lack of training tailored to the skills of different employee groups. In other words, some perceive AI as an add-on to existing processes without real value. To achieve progress and harness this potential effectively, companies need a strategy that integrates AI, systematic and equitable training, and effective communication of its benefits. Companies can start with practical examples and allow employees, especially those in non-managerial roles where trust and adoption rates are lower, to experiment with AI," said Ruxandra Tarlescu, Tax, Legal & People Partner, PwC Romania, in a company statement.The research shows that AI usage among Romanian employees varies greatly depending on their role and generation.Some 64% of senior executives and 59% of managers reported using AI in the past 12 months, compared with only 35% of non-managers. By generation, 57% of Generation Z employees reported using AI, compared with 44% of millennials and 35% of Generation X workers.Daily use of AI tools among Romanian employees is also among the lowest in the countries analysed: around 6% use generative AI tools daily (global average 14%), and only about 2% use AI agents daily (global average 6%).Romanian employees are among the least enthusiastic about AI's impact on their work, with only a third expressing optimism, below the global average of 41%. Meanwhile, 49% are curious about how AI will affect their work, close to the global average of 50%, and 24% are concerned.For Romanian employees who use AI, the impact is clearly positive: 75% report improved work quality, 69% increased creativity, and 64% higher productivity. Expectations are also optimistic in the medium term: over the next three years, 58% anticipate improvements in quality, 56% in productivity, and 52% in creativity. Fewer than a third (31%) expect AI use to increase their income.When asked about factors likely to influence their work in the coming years, Romanian employees highlighted other priorities: half believe regulatory changes will have a strong impact, 43% cite geopolitical conflicts, and only 39% mention technological transformation."It was expected that legislative changes and geopolitical conflicts would be considered priorities by Romanian employees, given that 2025 has brought many fiscal and legislative changes negatively affecting companies and, by extension, employees. However, there is good news: those who use AI are discovering its benefits and can influence wider adoption. In any case, the future depends on new technologies, and employees must adapt to meet growing company demands for AI-related skills," said Oana Munteanu, Director, PwC Romania.The PwC report also shows that 60% of Romanian employees feel very optimistic about the future of their role in the company, one of the highest rates among the 48 countries analysed, compared with a global average of 53%.Additionally, 72% of local workers believe they will have at least moderate control over how technology affects their work, compared with 69% globally.Regarding the impact of AI on entry-level jobs, 41% of Romanian managers surveyed believe AI will reduce such positions in their organisations over the next three years, while only 25% expect growth.The research further shows that fewer than two-thirds of Romanian employees (65%) report being satisfied at work at least once a week, below the global average of 70%. On the other hand, 64% say they feel inspired at work, above the global average of 59%.Fewer than half (45%) of Romanian workers report feeling tired at work at least once a week, similar to the global average, but only 14% report weekly boredom at work, compared with 23% globally.Around 60% of Romanian employees feel they have found a meaningful career, and a similar proportion believe their work benefits the world, above the global averages of 56% and 54%, respectively.Just over a third (35%) of Romanian employees report receiving a pay rise in the past year, below the global average of 43%. Only 39% say they can comfortably cover monthly bills and living costs while still having money left for savings, vacations, and discretionary spending, compared with 42% globally.The PwC Workforce Hopes and Fears Survey 2025 is one of the largest global studies of the workforce, with nearly 50,000 respondents from 48 countries and 28 sectors. Romanian data reflects responses from 500 employees across all counties.