A new study has found that a staggering three-quarters of Australians are concerned about using AI at work, with almost two-thirds concerned that AI will impact their future job prospects.
However, almost half of Australian workers already use AI at work, with almost a third keeping it a secret from their boss. But, there was a big divide between workers with 61 per cent of managers already putting AI to use, compared to just 28 per cent of non-managers.
What’s more, half of managers think that employees should use AI but just a fifth share the view of their boss. But managers are more likely to worry that AI will harm their future career prospects (66 per cent of managers vs 54 per cent of non-managers) and worry that AI will replace their jobs (60 per cent of managers vs 46 per cent of non-managers).
Does this spell the end for the bourgeois middle manager?
Perhaps not. But it might spell the end of baby boomers with more than half having not tried AI, compared to 90 per cent of Zoomers who have used the tech.
The variance in generational approaches to adoption is clear, with the data revealing that greater understanding could perhaps be linked to greater fear. Gen Z & Millennials are more than twice as likely to have used AI at work, but are also twice as likely to be concerned about the impact of AI on
their future career prospects.
“We’ve started to see shifting perceptions, familiarity and behaviour in people’s interactions with different AI platforms. Across the globe, AI has been steadily permeating our workplaces in some way, with the majority of respondents feeling cautious about the new technology yet optimistic about the potential benefits it could bring to their professional lives,” said Ruth Mortimer, global president of Advertising Week which carried out the research.
“It is clear from our data that across the world and in Australia in particular, we are fast approaching the tipping point of AI in our businesses and workplaces, so it’s now a crucial time for us to embrace the power of AI, particularly in the advertising and marketing industries. It’s important that companies take steps so their workforces feel the benefits of AI technologies far outweighs the substantive challenges.”
