The application of AI is completely widespread in the business field, as leaders have seen in it an ally to improve and personalize your services, acquiring greater profitability and efficiency. But despite the fact that society is aware of this new tool and that 78% of IT managers use it as part of the labor automation strategythere are still fears and doubts in its application.
This is how the latest study conducted by Workdayto a thousand EMEA decision makers, reveals that 94% believe that people should be more involved in decision making that uses AI or machine learning (ML).
Fear and uncertainty hover over managers, since 68% of them assure that feel completely pressured to have to implement AI in their organizations, either by public bodies (national and international) or as a measure of coercion of certain technical sectors of society.
In the HR department, the pressure is focused on the urgent need to improve employee experiencewhile CFOs are being asked to address the skills gaps in their industry.
What is it that worries you?
For 72% of EMEA respondents it generates uncertainty the security and reliability of the data that provide the information, although 33% consider that both AI and ML are applied ethically. The percentage is still high when it comes to knowing the range of application and commitment of AI in the daily tasks of companies.
39% consider that technology bias is one of the risks that AI brings with it, as well as security and privacywhich continues to be seen as two major obstacles to its definitive implementation, at least for 48% of those surveyed.
Those who support AI and ML in the business environment
The opposite side of the coin is provided by 33% of the leaders surveyed, who are very confident that both ML and AI are being applied ethically today. In fact, 52% say their ethical application will remain unchanged for the next five years.
99% agree that there are business benefits if invested in AIthese being: improvement in decision making (according to 41%), automation of business processes (for 38%) and improvement in employee retention and experience (in 35%).
Do the necessary resources exist?
More than 90% of those surveyed say that they use AI in their administration and finance operations. In fact, 80% are satisfied with the idea that AI and ML are necessary to maintain the levels of competitiveness of their companies.
Likewise, and although 82% agree that AI and ML help employees work efficiently, companies find themselves with big obstacles when deploying these technologies due to the lack of skills and optimal structures in the business fabric.
The fear of employees The fact that these technologies replace them in their jobs and, therefore, have a negative impact on their salaries, does not help their final implementation either. In fact, 12% of business leaders believe that AI and ML will completely replace people and that they will have a negative impact on their templates.
to that critical skill deficit alludes Jens Lohmar, CTO Continental & DACH of Workday. 70% of the respondents say that their company lacks the necessary knowledge to definitively implement the concepts of AI and ML, while 76% affirm that their knowledge about these new technologies and their application are deficient and need to be improved.
future perspective
Nearly half of the business leaders surveyed, 45% believe that AI will benefit employees by increasing the amount of work and generating more employment and better quality. However, 43% prefer to be more cautious and warn that both technologies could replace or replace some workers in certain specific tasks.
Hence, 83% of leaders publicly show their intention to maintain investments made in AI and MLand even increase them in 2024. And it is that these, in the opinion of 87%, are influencing technology purchase decisions.
The objective of all companies should be to bet on the incorporation of AI and ML as an investment in the futurebut also establish supplier links who demonstrate a commitment to responsible AI practices and advocate for data integrity.
