According to the 2026 Workplace Well‑being Report released by Founder Reports, a growing number of American workers are choosing artificial‑intelligence chatbots to discuss job‑related stress instead of the mental‑health resources their employers provide.
Key findings from the national survey
The survey of 2,000 U.S. adults found that 62.4% say work affects their well‑being at least once a month, and nearly half (47.4%) experience stress daily or weekly. Yet only 10.8% reported speaking with a manager about those pressures in the past year.
When asked where they feel most comfortable being completely honest, 20.9% chose an AI chatbot, compared with 17.2% who said a manager, 4.5% an HR representative, and 3.5% company leadership.
Overall, 42.6% of respondents admitted to using an AI chatbot to talk about work stress, and another 19.7% said they were considering it. In total, 62.3% are open to using AI for this purpose, while just 10.7% have ever used the mental‑health benefits offered by their employers.
Why employees favor AI
Behavioral scientist Gleb Tsipursky explained that AI can feel “psychologically safer” because it removes the social risk of disclosing struggles to a manager or HR representative. The anonymity of a chatbot appears to appeal to workers who fear privacy breaches or negative perception.
Privacy concerns are real, however. Cyber‑security expert Viktor Bulanek warned that many corporate AI tools store conversation data that can be accessed for litigation or internal investigations. He cautioned employees against using consumer chatbots on work devices, noting that data‑loss‑prevention systems can capture any information that leaves the device.
In contrast, traditional employee‑assistance programs typically include confidentiality guarantees that AI platforms lack. Bulanek emphasized that chatbot data is “discoverable, subpoenaable, exportable and searchable,” making it a less secure option for sensitive personal matters.
Employer challenges
Only about one in ten workers have utilized employer‑provided mental‑health benefits. A 2025 National Alliance on Mental Illness survey found that just 53% of employees know how to access those benefits. Amy Mosset of Interactive Counselling added that the administrative effort required and the fear of being noticed deter many from using the programs.
She noted, “Employees won’t use benefits that are technically confidential but socially conspicuous.” The perception that seeking help could affect how coworkers or supervisors view them remains a significant barrier.
Implications for workplaces
When workers avoid formal channels, underlying issues may go unaddressed, potentially harming team dynamics and productivity. Tsipursky suggested that AI could serve as a bridge to more substantive human conversations rather than an endpoint, helping employees articulate concerns before bringing them to managers or HR.
As AI tools become more accessible, employers will need to balance the convenience they offer with robust privacy safeguards and clear communication about how employee data is handled.
Original reporting: El Paso News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
