Workplace excitement about genAI remains high, but use and skills still low

The news: AI is expected to have a bigger impact on jobs and how work is done than labor shortages, economic recessions, or generational shifts, per Thomson Reuters’ 2024 Future of Professionals report.

• 77% of respondents said AI and generative AI (genAI) will have a high or transformational impact on their jobs in the next five years, significantly more than the 51% who said skilled labor shortages or economic recession will have that level of impact.
• 78% of global professionals and executives think AI will be a force for good in their jobs. However, 37% haven’t tried using AI for a work task, and only 4% said AI’s output is stronger than what they could produce themselves.

Use cases: Respondents said that the most common uses for AI in the workplace include drafting articles, emails, and presentations; summarizing documents or calls; and doing basic research.

• 58% of professionals think that knowing what tasks AI can be used for is vital to responsible AI implementation in their roles.
• However, communication about AI guidelines and use cases is a barrier—35% aren’t sure what type of work AI technology is good for.

Good enough? Professionals remain skeptical about how AI matches up to human capabilities.

• 50% of respondents said AI can provide a basic starting point for work, but they still need to do the majority of the work themselves.
• 28% said the tech provides a strong starting point, though it will still need to be edited.

A better balance: With AI’s current rate of growth, employees could free up four hours of work per week with the tech in one years’ time, and 12 hours per week in five years’ time.

Fifty-nine percent of professionals want a better work-life balance, and with any time saved from AI application, about a quarter (24%) would invest more time in their personal lives, hobbies, and resting.

Our take: As AI adoption continues to grow, companies need to focus on ensuring that employees understand AI’s basic operations, its specific use cases for their roles, and its limitations.

The technology’s benefits can streamline productivity for companies, and the energy and time saved through AI use could help improve team morale and reduce fatigue and turnover in demanding industries.

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