Design an AI Usage Survey for Your Team

Why Do This

Most teams are already using AI. Often informally. Sometimes quietly.

Before you introduce new rules, restrict tools, or roll out training, it helps to understand what is already happening.

A short survey can help you see:

• What tools are in use
• How people are using them
• What they are unsure about
• What support they would actually find useful

This gives you evidence, not assumptions.

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What About Shadow AI

Many people are already using AI tools in their day-to-day work without being asked to, trained to, or formally supported to do so.

This is often called shadow AI.

It is usually a sign of curiosity and problem-solving, not poor judgement.

The risk is not that people are experimenting. The risk is that organisations do not know where or how that experimentation is happening.

This survey is not about stopping shadow AI. It is about understanding it, so you can respond with guidance rather than guesswork.

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Creating A Safe Space To Share

If you want honest answers, people need to feel comfortable.

That means:

• Making the survey anonymous
• Being clear it is not a performance or compliance exercise
• Avoiding questions that imply wrongdoing
• Explaining how the results will be used

If it feels like a test, people will self-censor. That defeats the point.

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What You Will Learn

A well-designed survey can help you understand:

• Which tools are being used, officially or otherwise
• What tasks people are using AI for
• Where people already apply sensible boundaries
• Where there is uncertainty or hesitation
• What support or guidance would be useful

The aim is not to police behaviour. It is to inform what you do next.

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What Not To Do

Do not use this survey to:

• Identify individuals
• Audit compliance
• Introduce new restrictions
• Assess performance

If you frame this as enforcement, people will disengage. If you frame it as listening, they will participate.

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How To Run It

Keep it simple and respectful.

Good practice includes:

• Keeping it under 10 minutes
• Using mostly multiple-choice questions
• Including not sure or I don't use AI options
• Limiting free-text questions to where they add value

Once it is complete, share a short summary with the team and explain what you plan to do next.

That follow-through matters.

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Next Step

Use the AI usage survey template to create your survey.
Adapt it to your organisation, your tone, and your context.