What happened
A new survey from Monday Girl, as reported by Talent Canada, shows that AI use is now common in Canada but unevenly comfortable. 64 per cent of Canadians used AI in the past year. Men reported higher use than women, at 68 per cent versus 61 per cent.
Among people who use AI in their jobs, 46 per cent of women worry about negative consequences, compared with 40 per cent of men. Concern is higher still among Gen Z, at 53 per cent. Only 36 per cent of women say they feel confident using AI tools, against 52 per cent of men.
The feelings behind the numbers differ too. 47 per cent of women feel intimidated by AI tools versus 33 per cent of men, and 45 per cent of women feel confused using them versus 37 per cent of men. The survey covered 1,502 adult Canadians in the Angus Reid Forum, fielded Feb. 24 to 26, in English and French.
Why it matters if you are hiring
If your team is expected to use AI, an unclear policy hits some people harder than others. Workers who fear blowback tend to avoid the tools, hide their use or stick to the basics. That leaves value on the table and skews who gets seen as an AI-capable performer.
This touches hiring directly. Job postings that list AI skills, and interviews that test for them, may screen out strong candidates who are capable but cautious. A confidence gap is not a skills gap, and the survey measures confidence and worry, not ability.
It also affects retention and promotion. If managers reward visible AI use without saying what is allowed, the people most worried about consequences will fall behind. That applies in every function, from finance and operations to sales and HR. Gen Z hires, the group most concerned, are the ones many employers are counting on to bring AI fluency.
One thing to do this week
Write a one-page AI use guide for your team: which tools are approved, what data cannot go into them, and a plain statement that using approved tools well will not count against anyone. Share it, then ask each manager to run a 30-minute hands-on session so everyone starts from the same footing.
Traverse Staffing helps employers find operations, finance, sales and AI and data people who are ready to work with new tools, and we screen for how they work, not only for what is on the resume.