How to effectively address employee concerns about the role of AI at work
Today, the growing use of artificial intelligence (AI) in business is causing many people to feel great fear and anxiety about their future. Recent research shows that employee mental health is affected, and the American Psychological Association's 2023 U.S. Work Survey found that nearly two in five employees (38%) said reveals that they are worried that some or all of their job responsibilities will become obsolete. future.
To learn more about this topic, I spoke with Dan Diasio, EY's Global Artificial Intelligence (AI) Consulting Leader, this month. In this role, you will support clients' AI-powered business transformation by supporting the strategic direction, identification, design, and implementation of Trusted-AI and modern data platforms. He works across industries to close the gap between digital immigrants and digital natives and turn weaknesses into competitive advantages.
EY's recent AI Concerns in Business Survey is based on findings from a survey of 1,000 U.S. employed workers with at least some familiarity with AI about their perceptions and experiences with AI-powered technologies.
Here's what Diasio shared:
Kathy Caprino: Dan, what inspired EY to conduct the “AI Anxiety in Business” study?
Dan Diasio: Generative AI (GenAI) has been one of the hottest topics in 2023, with significant advances being made across the business world. However, as the leader moved towards implementing his AI system, he found that there was a growing gap between him and the users of his AI system. Most technology projects fail because of user adoption. AI is not immune to this challenge either.
When it comes to integrating AI, it's important to understand the big picture, from regulatory and tactical implementation to employee attitudes and sentiment towards the threats posed by the technology. Understanding this, we felt we needed to dig deeper into what aspects of AI and related technologies are keeping leaders and employees up at night.
Our research reveals the impact of AI and its current use in the workplace, and how its rapid adoption is increasing anxiety across the workforce. It provides business leaders with key insights into potential barriers and how to help employers overcome them. This information is not only valuable for EY's own use, but also helps us provide better advice to our clients on how to approach human-centered AI deployments.
Caprino: What surprised you most about the survey results as an AI leader?
Diacio: Fears about AI don't dampen excitement about the technology's potential, but workers want regulation with integration. According to our survey, 78% of employees say the government needs to play a bigger role in regulating AI.Given how polarized politics is today, the fact that employees want more AI regulation – by AI developers and The government was surprised.
Interestingly, employees who trust AI (80%) are more likely than those who don't (71%) to say the government should play a greater role in regulating AI technology. It will be expensive.
Caprino: Were there any significant differences based on the age of the respondent or the type of response received?
Diacio: Yes, it was very interesting to see that Gen Z workers clearly lack trust compared to Millennials and Gen X workers. Despite being the first to enter the workplace as true digital natives, Gen Z employees are not the most likely to use AI at work, and are significantly less confident about its benefits. . For example, only 72% of Gen Z believe AI will make them more efficient, compared to 85% of Millennials and 89% of Gen Xers. Gen Z has been found to be the generation most likely to engage with a reasonable amount of AI capabilities. Skepticism. However, the youngest generation represents the future of the workforce, and it is important for business leaders to engage with Gen Z as they integrate AI.
Caprino: What steps can leaders take to overcome employee fears and concerns surrounding the introduction of AI?
Diacio: While most employees trust AI technology, nearly as many have concerns. With AI being a new tool for most employees, and headlines about its potential for negative consequences such as turnover, it's natural for employees to be nervous about fully embracing the technology. Our research shows that 'FOBO' (fear of becoming obsolete) is plaguing the workforce, with an astonishing 75% of employees saying they believe AI will make certain jobs obsolete. I am concerned that this may be the case.Perhaps even more worryingly, nearly two-thirds (65%) say they are worried about being replaced by AI. their work.
However, since human-centered design is essential to leveraging AI across an organization, business leaders need to improve communication, transparency, and Sex and education are essential.
Key steps and initiatives include:
education
Workers said they not only expect training programs, but are actively concerned that the programs currently offered are not sufficient. In our survey, 80% of respondents said training and improved skills would make them more comfortable using AI in the workplace, and these educational workshops are key to lowering anxiety levels. It suggests that. However, a similar number (73%) are concerned about not having enough training and upskilling opportunities. This means a leader can't just do her AI training; training needs to be strategic.
transparency
To help employees become more comfortable using AI, leaders should share more information about responsible and ethical AI best practices and communicate communications that promote responsible and ethical use of AI. You need to receive more. Employees said they would be more comfortable using AI in the workplace if senior leadership promoted its use responsibly and ethically (77%).
communication
After all, employees want to be informed and heard about processes. 77% of employees feel they would be more comfortable implementing AI in the workplace if all levels of the organization were involved in the implementation process.
Caprino: How do you expect AI to evolve over the next year? What trends do you foresee in 2024?
Diacio: This is not the first time there has been excitement about the potential of an emerging technology, but companies shouldn't ignore the hype around AI. This is a revolutionary tool and harnessing its potential should be his top priority from 2024 onwards. .
The GenAI (Generative AI) Hype Cycle is characterized by explosive market adoption followed by continued and rapid growth in maturity and usage, and there are no signs that this rapid evolution is slowing. there is no.
2023 was a year of AI understanding and discovery for most organizations, with companies experimenting with AI-powered solutions across a variety of functions. In 2024, we expect scale to be everything.
GenAI will be deployed and integrated more strategically, with a focus on transforming work flows (rather than adding new tools). Additionally, organizations are looking beyond out-of-the-box functionality to implement AI that is right-sized (and priced) for their needs, and includes other types of AI that are particularly well-suited for performance (such as causal AI). It is expected that they will be integrated. Action.
In today's challenging macroeconomic environment of continued economic uncertainty, leaders are also likely to feel pressure to demonstrate the ROI of their AI investments, leading to an increased focus from experimentation to scaling proven concepts. expected to proceed.
Caprino: It's been over a year since ChatGPT exploded onto the market. How can companies move from experimentation to execution while being mindful of the risks associated with new technologies?
Diacio: GenAI is fundamentally different from previous technologies. Since this is probabilistic, you often won't get the same answer consistently, making it difficult to test. Additionally, just as capabilities emerge as companies add more data to their models, so do new risks.
Any company embarking on an AI journey must have a strong AI governance and risk management program. These need to be run by a combination of business leaders and risk management professionals trained in how AI works. Business leaders view themselves as trustees and stewards of their organization's technology ecosystem and must ensure data protection, compliance with evolving regulatory obligations, and good principles and practices to maintain trust and reduce risk. Responsible practices, including norms, must be built into AI.
If properly designed and implemented, regulatory mechanisms can help promote safe and reliable AI systems. For emerging technologies such as AI, this includes designing regulatory mechanisms with the ability to evolve over time.
The ethical implications of AI are also paramount and a top concern for today's workers. Our survey revealed that 71% of employees are concerned about ethical/moral considerations regarding the use of AI. By being transparent, companies can reduce the human risks associated with ethical concerns.
Our research shows that the majority of employees say they view their organization more positively if it:
- Provide AI responsibility/ethics training for employees (80%)
- Established an AI Responsibility/Ethics Task Force (77%)
- The AI the organization built was reviewed by a trusted third party (76%)
Caprino: Finally, how can companies prepare their employees for what's coming on the AI front and help them build the workforce of the future? And with the proliferation of new generative AI tools, How can organizations and employees manage the learning curve?
Diacio: Ultimately, GenAI is here to stay. We tell our clients to think about the impact of AI in the same way that the internet has changed every industry. New innovations are inevitable, and empowering individuals by connecting people and technology is the key to success. Companies don't need more tools; they need to rethink their workflows. Only the people running these workflows can make this happen.
Employees are critical to the successful integration of new technology, so leaders must prioritize reducing employee anxiety.
Successful implementation requires thoughtful communication and meaningful upskilling programs that help employees feel more comfortable with when and how they use technology.
For more information, see EY's AI Concerns in Business Survey.
Kathy Caprino is career and leadership coach, author the most powerful youand trainer We help our clients build success and impact.
