55% of Private-Sector Workers Now Use AI, MetLife Survey Finds Stress Relief

About 55 percent of workers in the country's private sector currently use artificial intelligence, or AI. The finding comes from multinational insurer MetLife Bangladesh's latest research report titled 'Employee Benefit Trends Study (EBTS) 2026'.

The survey findings were released at an event at MetLife Bangladesh's office in the capital's Motijheel on Sunday afternoon. MetLife Bangladesh's Head of Marketing and Product Nowfel Anwar and Head of Communications Saifur Rahman were present at the event.

Conducted in August this year, the survey collected information from a total of 709 people across various sectors of the country. Of them, 583 were full-time employees and 126 were employers or key decision-makers on organisations' financial benefits.

Workers from sectors including ready-made garments, NGOs, banks, fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG), telecom and retail provided information in the survey.

According to the survey, about 91 percent of AI users think it is having a positive impact on their lives. The report also found that about 84 percent of those who use AI in daily work feel comfortable using it.

Some 54 percent of workers said AI tools directly help reduce their work-related mental stress. About 48 percent of workers think AI is helping increase their overall productivity.

In addition, 46 percent of workers think the growing use of AI at work keeps them free from extra workload or frustration. About 40 percent said AI reduces the pressure of routine work and gives them the opportunity to focus on more meaningful and creative work, and 34 percent think it reduces mental fatigue while also having a positive impact on personal life.

However, a gap remains in institutional adoption of AI. Only 58 percent of employers who took part in the survey currently encourage or provide opportunities for employees to use AI in daily work.

Among organisations not yet connected with introducing AI at work, about 62 percent plan to adopt AI tools in the near future. They plan to implement it within the next one to five years, the report said.

The research also found that in organisations where workers feel employers or senior managers show empathy and care, job satisfaction rates of up to 92 percent were found. Overall, workers' job satisfaction rate in 2026 was 83 percent, compared with 78 percent in 2025.

The report also described a large gap between the protections workers consider essential and the benefits organisations actually provide. As an example, although about 73 percent of workers consider life insurance extremely essential, only 38 percent of organisations actually provide it. Similar gaps exist for permanent disability and critical illness insurance benefits.

MetLife Bangladesh's Head of Marketing and Product Nowfel Anwar said concern and awareness about health have grown since the Covid period and dengue is being discussed in recent times. A significant number of people in the country suffering from kidney disease, heart disease, cancer and other complex illnesses are anxious, and since treatment for these diseases is expensive, workers expect special health protection benefits from their organisations, he said.