Few employers have tools and guidance system, training and resources in place for AI adoption, finds global report
With the wide adoption of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools across companies, it seems most employers do not have the necessary tools in place to make for a smooth transition for their workers, according to a recent global report.
Overall, just over a third (34%) of workers say their organizations have assigned persons responsible for equipping them for AI use, reports Gallagher.
About the same number (35%) of worker say their employers provide the necessary tools and guidance system for AI adoption, and even fewer have received usage guidance (29%) and the necessary training or resources (22%).
The Wild West of AI adoption
As a result, over one in 10 workers (13%) are unsure if their organization is using GenAI.
“For many organizations, it’s the Wild West with regard to how they are adopting and implementing AI,” says Ben Reynolds, global managing director of Gallagher’s Communication Consulting Practice.
“Because so few organizations have an AI plan, we can connect the dots to better understand why half of the respondents (50%) are skeptical or even fearful about the impact of AI. That said, with an AI plan in place, the technologies may help communicators overcome what they’ve identified as two of the top three barriers in 2024, which are the lack of time and lack of financial resources.”
Of those not using or planning to use GenAI, 92% cite feelings of resignation, terror and denial – 26% more than the average.
Meanwhile, those who are already using GenAI demonstrate marginally increased positivity at 55%, compared with 45% average.
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Canadian employers in the information technology (IT) space are increasingly tapping into the resource that is AI, according to a previous IBM report. And even legal professionals see the benefit of using it, though adoption has been slow in the legal space, according to another study from OpenText.
Who will use artificial intelligence?
Currently, 60% of respondents use GenAI at work, according to Gallagher’s survey of 2,300 respondents across the world, from October to November 2023.
While one in five are using it for communications, one in three are experimenting with it.
Meanwhile, four in 10 do not use GenAI, with one in 10 being unsure of their employers plans about the technology.
“Want to be less afraid of AI? Experiment,” says Drew Munn, strategy partner for Future of Work.
“The key to successful experimentation is knowledge, so seek out training opportunities to learn more about how AI might work for you, and what you can do to get the most out of it. Make sure you implement feedback mechanisms to see how well your experiments work, and don’t be afraid to go back to a more manual process if it produces better results.”
Many leaders and employees across the world don't think their organizations will implement AI responsibly at work, according to a previous report. Meanwhile, nearly all Canadians are looking for ground rules when it comes to the use and development of AI in the country, according to another study.
“It’s time to start thinking about AI governance,” says KOSA AI via Medium.
“The future is going to look very different from today, and we need to be ready for that change. Or better, responsibility and justice need to be included in the decisions that will affect how our future will look like. This can be done with the right AI governance in place.”