April 15, 2024
Half of bosses now live in fear that AI could steal their jobs
Hundreds of UK chief executives believe that artificial intelligence (AI) could steal their job, underlining widespread fears over the technology’s potential to shake up traditional working models. Nearly half (43 percent) of CEOs said they felt that their job could be at risk due to the technology, according to a new poll from AND Digital. The survey has been published in The CEO Digital Divide: are you accelerating enterprise value or slowing it down [registration], which surveyed 600 global CEOs and was conducted by independent research company Censuswide.
Additionally, three quarters (76 percent) of CEOs have launched Artificial Intelligence training bootcamps this year, to help themselves and their staff stay on top of the latest tech trends. Around 44 percent of CEOs polled said they feel their staff aren’t ready to handle AI adoption amid rapid global developments.
According to the report, AI amplifies the dilemma confronting CEOs, with one-third (34 percent) opting to ban tools like ChatGPT within their organisations. However, 45 percent admitted to secretly utilising AI tools, such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT, to fulfil their job responsibilities, often passing off the work as their own. The report also suggests, given the widespread secret use of AI technology, ethical considerations in AI adoption also emerged as a critical concern, with 68 per cent prioritising it as a top issue.
Stephen Paterson, Chief for Technology and People at AND Digital commented: “CEOs cannot afford to be complacent when it comes to AI. Neither can they allow a culture of fear and distrust surrounding new technologies to gain a foothold, so reskilling people and teams across all departments to the highest standards should be an absolute top priority.
“It is important for business leaders to establish a well-designed framework around AI in order to maximise value and mitigate risks, empowering people with the guidance and resources to innovate safely. Failure to do so will leave them falling behind the competition and falling behind peers who do possess the AI skills to lead the new wave of tech innovation.”
“Ultimately, CEOs must embrace the ‘AND’ mindset, rather than the ‘OR’, when it comes to embracing new technology. This involves adopting juxtaposed concepts of speed AND security, small AND scale, as well as legacy AND innovation in order to unlock the full potential of technology investments.”
The news comes amid the UK and US forming a new partnership to ensure the safety of AI amid concerns about its future versions. The collaboration aims to jointly develop advanced testing for AI models and share information on AI capabilities and risks.
