Since the introduction of ChatGPT, major global corporations have been eager to highlight their integration of advanced AI tools. Nevertheless, an increasing number of employees express dissatisfaction, attributing their hindered productivity to their supervisors’ lack of digital proficiency.
According to a 2023 study by tech.io, approximately two-thirds of business leaders have scarcely implemented AI technologies in their operations due to a general unawareness of their benefits. Employees indicate that this hesitance is adversely affecting their productivity. A survey by the STEM advisory group SThree reveals that employees are losing about six hours weekly to manual tasks that could be automated with the appropriate tools. About 63% of employees believe their managers’ “digital illiteracy” is the primary barrier to adopting AI tools.
A Dutch construction worker has mentioned to SThree that a “[lack of access to the latest AI tools] has caused a noticeable drop in motivation to tackle new challenges at work.” Similarly, a Japanese engineer stated, “I have to spend a significant amount of time on repetitive tasks that could be automated.”
In Europe, although the U.S. remains the leader in large tech corporations such as Nvidia, Google, and Meta capitalizing on the AI boom, significant European companies are beginning to integrate AI into their processes. For example, Volkswagen is utilizing chatbots for in-car entertainment and exploring AI for improved safety and automation. Meanwhile, Shell is employing AI to optimize drilling operations and predictive maintenance.
Mark Read CBE, CEO of advertising giant WPP, previously conveyed to Fortune, “The question for European companies is how they can leverage AI more aggressively, regardless of its origin. There is so much potential for them to take advantage of the billions of dollars being invested globally.”
Despite these advancements, SThree’s analysis indicates that employees in non-tech industries are not receiving enough access to the latest automated technologies. There is evidence of employees using AI technologies clandestinely. A report from Salesforce discovered that one in five workers are “underground” AI users, concealing their use of the technology due to unclear workplace regulations and expectations.
This research offers a counter-narrative to the belief that employees fear AI tools replacing their jobs and are hesitant to see them adopted by their employers. Specifically, customer service workers express concerns about AI replacing them, as tech companies like Klarna consider reducing their workforce by 1,800 with AI assistance.
Timo Lehne, CEO of SThree, remarked, “Of course, worries about job security around technology advancements are real and leaders shouldn’t ignore them. But our findings imply that leaders are too hesitant and need to embrace AI in the way their teams already have. If they don’t, they will become a stumbling block for their organization’s future growth and a source of increasing employee frustration.”
