Workers ‘Gatekeeping’ Skills to Protect Jobs from AI Replacement

TL;DR: New Adaptavist research reveals 35% of knowledge workers are “gatekeeping” skills to protect job security against AI threats, whilst one in five are stressed or anxious about replacement. With 32% of entry-level roles gone since 2022, workers spend 4.3 hours weekly in meetings—nearly as much as socialising with friends—driving calls for asynchronous communication as solution.

One in three (35%) knowledge workers are now actively withholding skills to protect their job security against AI threats, with one in five experiencing stress or anxiety about potential replacement by AI, according to new research by Adaptavist.

The Entry-Level Crisis

A study found nearly a third (32%) of entry-level roles have disappeared since 2022, intensifying fears across the workforce. This job market contraction is driving defensive behaviours that undermine organisational knowledge sharing.

Two-fifths (38%) of workers are now reluctant to train colleagues in their area of strength, hoping to maintain competitive advantage and hold onto their roles.

Meeting Overload as Symptom

Knowledge workers spend an average of 4.3 hours per week in meetings—nearly as much time as they spend socially with friends (4.4 hours). With the rise in hybrid and remote working, meeting time has tripled since 2020.

Currently, nearly half (46%) have seen colleagues send AI assistants to meetings on their behalf, though many (40%) consider this rude compared with personally attending.

Asynchronous Communication as Solution

Adaptavist sees room for AI within organisations, arguing its role is not to replace human workers. The company calls for shifting towards asynchronous communication, where workers can collaborate during their own working hours without set-time meetings.

“By embracing asynchronous communication, improving documentation, and using AI to surface relevant information, organisations can ease meeting fatigue whilst building resilient and aligned teams,” commented Neal Riley, Innovation Lead at Adaptavist.

Thoughtful Implementation Matters

The research indicates that thoughtfully implemented AI leads to workers feeling more energised and motivated, more in control over their tasks, and less frustrated or disconnected.

“The report confirms that when organisations embed AI with this structured approach, they build cultures where employees feel part of the journey,” Riley added.

The Paradox

The findings reveal a paradox: workers fear AI replacement enough to hoard knowledge, yet properly implemented AI could address the meeting overload that compounds their stress. The challenge lies not in AI capabilities but in how organisations approach implementation.

Looking Forward

The disappearance of 32% of entry-level roles since 2022 suggests workforce transformation is accelerating. The question is whether organisations will address this through defensive knowledge hoarding or through structured approaches that make AI a collaborative tool rather than a replacement threat.

Asynchronous communication and improved documentation offer a path forward—one that reduces meeting burden whilst preserving human collaboration and knowledge sharing. However, success requires addressing the underlying job security concerns driving gatekeeping behaviour.

The data suggests a workforce in transition, caught between fear of replacement and the potential benefits of well-implemented AI systems. How organisations navigate this tension will likely determine whether AI becomes a source of productivity gains or ongoing workplace anxiety.

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