Yes — and the businesses that hesitate to disclose this are usually more worried about the awkward conversation than about the actual risk of having it. Employees generally find out anyway, and finding out from a coworker or by noticing their workload shrink is far worse than hearing it directly from you.
Employees are not asking for a guarantee that nothing will change. They are asking three specific things: what task or responsibility is moving to AI, what that means for their role going forward, and whether their job is at risk. Answer those three questions directly, even if the answer to the third one is uncomfortable.
In several states, disclosure is not just good practice — it is becoming a legal requirement when AI tools are used in employment-related decisions such as hiring, performance evaluation, or scheduling. Even outside of hiring specifically, a growing number of jurisdictions require notice when automated tools materially affect a worker's role or output expectations. Check your state's requirements before assuming disclosure is optional.
Silence does not prevent the anxiety. It just removes your ability to shape how the news lands.
Tell the affected employee privately before any team-wide announcement. Be specific about what is changing, offer a concrete next step — a new responsibility, a training path, or a timeline — and give them space to ask questions. A five-minute conversation handled directly will do more for retention than a carefully worded all-staff email ever will.
The businesses that get burned are the ones that assume employees will not notice. They always notice. Address it early, address it honestly, and you keep the trust that makes every other HR conversation easier.
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