Just under a third of UK employees reckon any impact from AI in the workplace is “minor,” according to a survey from services biz WSP.
The survey, conducted by Savanta for WSP, questioned 4,020 UK employees in June, and found that while AI is having some impact in their workplace, only 13 percent describe it as significant.
According to the survey: “Employees say that the extent of the conversation about AI is greater than the change actually seen. Four in ten employees agree that there has been more discussion about how to implement AI/tech in their workplace than actual change.”
So while expectations are high, for many it’s more a case of talking about it rather than doing much about it.
However, 84 percent of those surveyed suspect the technology is likely to have a wide impact in the future, with 41 percent citing increases in efficiency and 37 percent expecting enhanced productivity and reduced costs.
On the other hand, 28 percent said they expect “job displacement” as an impact of AI and new technology, and 32 percent agreed with the statement “Jobs in my industry are under threat from AI.”
Twenty-nine percent anticipated a change of job or career in their future as a result of AI and new technologies, and 44 percent reckoned they’d need to adapt to the new tech over the next five years if they wanted to keep their job.
Gartner’s hype cycle has AI technologies hovering around the “peak of inflated expectations” in 2024, with a drop into the “trough of disillusionment” almost inevitable. Generative AI appears to be well on its way there. A recent study by Intel noted that AI PCs tended to result in less productive employees rather than introducing efficiencies.
Intel and much of the tech industry are eager for customers to embrace the AI vision. The WSP survey also noted that part of the problem lies in a lack of education – users have spent too long trying to work out how the AI tools functioned.
“Organizations providing AI-assisted products must offer greater education in order to truly showcase the potential of ‘everyday AI’,” the study explained.
As far as the WSP-sponsored survey is concerned, the good news is that 72 percent of respondents said their employers were providing resources to help workers adapt to AI and new technology. Unfortunately, more than a quarter (28 percent) reported the opposite.
Overall, a majority expect some impact in the workplace. However, considering less than half (46 percent) were comfortable using the technology, and only 38 percent reckoned adoption would result in faster career progression, employers still have work to do to ensure the productivity and efficiency promises of the AI industry are realized. ®
