{
  "id": 7808151,
  "title": "‘I’ve just done about 2 weeks' work in an hour. Do I tell my boss or keep it secret?’ — Nearly a third of AI users are hiding it from their employers",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/16/ive-just-done-about-2-weeks-work-in-an-hour-do-i-tell-my-boss-or-keep",
  "topic": "ai",
  "section": "AI",
  "published": "2026-09-16T15:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "TechRadar",
    "slug": "techradar",
    "url": "https://www.techradar.com/ai-platforms-assistants/ive-just-done-about-2-weeks-work-in-an-hour-do-i-tell-my-boss-or-keep-it-secret-nearly-a-third-of-ai-users-are-hiding-it-from-their-employers"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "A recent Deloitte study of 25,000 UK workers reveals that two-thirds have utilized generative AI for work, while nearly a third of AI users admit to employing it without their employer's knowledge. This phenomenon, known as \"shadow AI,\" involves workers utilizing their own AI tools in the workplace without formal approval, often to improve efficiency. Reddit discussions shed light on the implications of shadow AI. One user lamented, \"My coworker is secretly using ChatGPT to do 80% of his work. He's getting praised for efficiency,\" while another faced the dilemma of whether to disclose their productivity boost: \"I've done about 2 weeks' work in an hour. Do I tell my boss or keep it secret?\" Respondents suggested that humanizing output and adding personal touch could mitigate concerns about detectability. While shadow AI may not always indicate malicious intent, it raises concerns over data security, especially when employees share sensitive corporate information with unapproved AI services. A PagerDuty survey found that 88% of workers had shared work-related data with public AI systems, including emails, meeting notes, and sensitive business information. Some workers even spend their own money on generative AI tools, spending £958 million annually in the UK. This financial investment, combined with the potential risks of using unsecured AI tools, presents a challenge for employers who must balance employee productivity with data security.",
  "summary": "A new survey reveals that a third of workers are hiding the fact that they use AI from their boss at work. Are you one?",
  "key_points": [
    "Nearly one-third of UK workers use AI without employer knowledge",
    "\"Shadow AI\" refers to unauthorized AI tool usage in the workplace",
    "88% of workers shared sensitive data with public AI systems"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}