A study has found that 36% of IT workers are fearful that artificial intelligence (AI) will take their jobs over the next five years.
The new research compiled in a report by IT integrated solutions provider Ivanti also outlined that just 7% of respondents believe AI will benefit employees more than employers.
The company surveyed 8,400 office workers, IT and security professionals and C-level executives across the globe to understand attitudes,
expectations and challenges facing them and their employees.
Both of the findings above reflect a feeling of anxiety from workers toward what AI is capable of and the unknown outcome of its impact across several industries, including IT, five to ten years from now.
Dr Srinivas Mukkamala, chief product officer at Ivanti, was quoted in the report on striking the right tone between allaying such fears of workers and showing integrity and honesty on how AI will change corporate strategy.
“Companies can’t afford to shy away from this subject and preaching all the benefits of AI isn’t enough. Executives need to be clear in their communication about AI strategy and how it impacts the future of the employee experience, productivity and career progression,” he said.
“Without employee support and oversight of generative AI, companies will be slow to leverage the gains, and may have unintended consequences without the needed human oversight,” added Mukkamala.
AI here to stay
Studies like this are important to gauge employees’ feelings, to pinpoint fears and concerns and to gain an understanding of the worker’s perspective.
As Dr Mukkamala stated, companies can’t shy away from their responsibilities in what is a fluid, evolving situation. AI is here to stay and it will bring considerable change to the workplace, especially in IT.
The prevalence of AI across social media, industry and big tech is clearly visible. Just yesterday, the AI Alliance was launched which will see Meta and IBM headlining a collaboration of more than 50 companies and groups to create an industry body working together on open-source AI.
This is partly a response to OpenAI and their closed/proprietary model, showing that the race is on in more ways than one.
Mukkamala also commented that “most users and employees are skeptical of AI, so it is important that we establish trust globally with proactive security and AI system resilience.”
That is a crucial line indicating the impact that AI will have but also that human oversight will be essential along the way to manage the process and within that the mutual interest of employers and employees must be harnessed.
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