Generative AI is empowering the digital workforce

#1: AI is empowering the digital workforce

For companies that use this technology, employees see AI as a constructive force. The vast majority of respondents (92%) say AI has a positive impact on their work, and more than a quarter (26%) call AI a “miracle.” Two-thirds say AI already saves them time, and 61% say it helps them work faster.

Almost half of the workers we surveyed (45%) say AI reduces or eliminates boring or tedious tasks, while 41% say AI has changed their work for the better. More than one-third of respondents (36%) who use artificial intelligence at work say the technology allows them to do things they could never do in the past.

#2: Generative AI is seen as a productivity multiplier

Generative AI has particular potential to be a force multiplier, putting AI capability at the fingertips of employees. Ninety percent of employees believe that generative AI will help them work faster; integrate information from different sources in less time; and reduce time spent on difficult, boring or tedious work. Almost as many say that generative AI will help them do more work (89%) and create better work (88%) — with 9 in 10 business leaders surveyed saying the same.

#3: Business leaders see the adoption and use of generative artificial intelligence as inevitable

Nearly four in five (79%) business leaders expect their employees to use generative AI frequently in their work, with 39% expecting employees to use generative AI every day.

A majority of global business leaders (76%) say their companies are ready to use generative artificial intelligence in their work processes. Of the roughly 25% of leaders who say they are not ready to adopt new technology, nearly one-third (35%) say they either don’t have the security, privacy and trust fences in place, or they don’t understand how to effectively use or deploy the technology (34%).

Increasing human potential and productivity

As generative AI becomes more common, we are once again hearing fears that AI will replace working humans. While there’s no doubt that generative artificial intelligence is already fundamentally changing the way we work, when applied thoughtfully it doesn’t replace humans, but instead increases employee productivity and engagement.

Unlocking Intelligence

While the analog-to-digital transition has made information more accessible and accessible than ever, it has also brought with it an abundance of information that is too much for most of us to absorb, let alone use. For companies, the problem is compounded by vast repositories of archived documents from which they derive little to no value. At one pharmaceutical company that stores thousands of PDFs containing important research and other information, an executive commented that “it’s very likely that the cancer cure is in this data, but we don’t have an efficient way to find it.” Generative AI will finally allow every employee and every company to use intelligent data in their documents at work.

Personalization of work experience

One of the most exciting applications of generative artificial intelligence in the workplace will be the creation of more personalized work experiences. Today, almost every solution provides one-size-fits-all answers based on text prompts. Going forward, the generative artificial intelligence agent will have a history of working with each individual employee — and each one will be constantly learning from a preferred database of information. These agents will act as powerful personal assistants and better meet the needs of employees in both speed and results that are truly relevant to their needs and work.

An exciting (and responsible) future

For all business and technology leaders, there are important technical, ethical and operational issues we must consider as we bring generative AI to the workplace. And while these issues may seem difficult, finding a responsible and proactive way forward is both our opportunity and our responsibility. Start small by using generative AI in projects that solve real-world problems. Work with proven vendors who are invested in your success. And most importantly, don’t just focus on cutting costs and instead prioritize projects that empower your workforce. I strongly believe that augmenting human potential is the most exciting and profound application of generative AI and any technology.

This content was created by Adobe. This was not written by the MIT Technology Review.