Exclusive: Only one in three Australian workers know if their employer has an artificial intelligence use policy, let alone what it entails, according to a nine.com.au reader poll.
That could cause major problems, including possible termination, for workers who are found to have used AI in a way that breaches their employer's AI use policy.
"Consequences will generally follow the same logic as any other workplace policy breach," Giuseppe Carabetta, an associate professor of workplace and business law at the University of Technology Sydney, told nine.com.au.
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"The Fair Work tribunal has upheld dismissals where employees breach data handling, privacy, social media, and information security policies."
Of the poll respondents who are currently employed, close to 20 per cent admitted they use AI at work at least daily.
Of these people, nearly half admitted they rely on it multiple times a day.
A futher 19 per cent said they use AI weekly, while more than 60 per cent said they never use AI on the job.
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Of those who do use AI at work, the majority said they only use ChatGPT, Google Gemini, and other AI tools for minor tasks like writing emails and checking spelling.
Nearly one in three use AI to produce work like reports and presentations.
About 10 per cent use it for other tasks like translating, researching, writing feedback, producing artwork and "finding answers to questions asked by customers".
A little over 10 per cent admitted their employer is unaware of their AI use at work and 15 per cent are unsure if their boss knows they use AI.
More concerningly, only 32 per cent of Aussies who use AI at work actually know if their employer has an AI use policy and what it entails.
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"Even without a policy, an employer could still discipline an employee if AI use caused a privacy breach, disclosure of confidential information, reputational damage, or unsafe or discriminatory outcome," Carabetta said.
If there's no AI policy, workers can protect themselves in a few ways: never put confidential information into public AI tools; only use employer‑approved or 'secure' AI systems; and follow any other existing employer policies.
If in doubt, workers can also ask an authorised manager what AI use is permitted.
"If the worker knew the rules and ignored them, then even a first offence may justify termination," Carabetta said.
"Especially where confidentiality or client trust is undermined."
The nine.com.au poll, which runs once a fortnight, canvases the views of the Nine audience on 9Nation, which is an online community of our readers and viewers.
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