As managers struggle with how to deliver constructive criticism, many turn to public AI programs for help.
By Gillian Manning
Company leaders say that their management teams are fully capable of having difficult conversations, but surveyed managers disagree. The Predictive Index (PI) released its 2026 AI and People Leadership Survey, which questioned 399 managers and 208 CEOs and business leaders across various industries, job levels, and generations. The results say that while 74% of business leaders say their managers are “very confident” handling tough people conversations independently, managers actually report needing more guidance, structure, and context.
As a result, many of them are turning to publicly available AI tools.
“That’s not the problem,” said Joel Pipher, VP of AI transformation at PI. “The problem is that AI knows nothing about the person on the other side of the table. Same model, same generic answer for every manager who asks. What they need is AI that puts that insight in front of them in the moment, not buried in a report.”
Most (92%) leaders say it’s “essential” or “very important” that managers adjust their feedback approach to how individuals best receive and process feedback, making generic public AI models a less-than-ideal route for managers prepping for touch conversations.
The PI report also found the following.
- 42% of managers report that they know what to say before difficult conversations, but they struggle with how to say it.
- Managers’ top “blind spots” are delivering criticism constructively (22.8%), anticipating an employee’s reaction (19.5%), and staying objective (14.3%).
- 72% leverage public AI to prep for sensitive employee discussions, with 44% acknowledging they input real staff names or performance metrics directly into these platforms.
- While 68% of leadership is worried about confidential workforce data leaking into public AI models, just 45% of companies have established official written guidelines.
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