The news: AI proficiency is now a baseline job requirement, with 95% of organizations prioritizing it in hiring new staff. 

Which is likely why 79% of professionals exaggerate their AI knowledge and 91% of C-suite executives admit to overstating their skills, per Pluralsight’s 2025 AI Skills Report, indicating a culture of AI “faking it” at work in US and UK companies. 

Fear is likely driving the deception as employees worry about AI use being directly tied to job security, while their leaders are increasingly pressured to project confidence as businesses race to adopt AI.