Half of UK workers are turning to generative AI to boost productivity and enhance their work-life balance, according to a recent Accenture survey.
The younger generation, between the ages of 18 and 24, makes up the age group that uses AI the most in their workplaces. A total of 63% of this category said they use the technology at least once a week, which, according to the results, is not so popular with the older generation, which has only 22% of 55-year-olds and older using it.
More time for other things
According to a Bloomberg article that cites an Accenture survey, generative AI tools are helping employees across sectors create more time for themselves and enhance their work-life balance.
The survey was conducted on 2,002 employees in the UK working both onsite and remotely. Results of the survey show that at least 30% of employees want to have more free time outside their normal work schedules. They want to utilize the time to do other non-work-related tasks. To achieve this, they turn to generative AI to automate complex and time-consuming tasks, enabling them to optimize workflows.
“There will continue to be a strong appetite for AI from office workers, with many exploring it as an opportunity to find greater overall satisfaction in their working lives,” said Emma Kendrew, the technology lead at Accenture, UK.
Several other studies have shown that CEOs generally rate generative AI at the top of their investment priorities because they believe in the transformative power of the technology. They believe implementation of generative AI in the workplace will enhance productivity and efficiency, and companies are likely to start seeing a return on investment in about three years.
PCW’s report, Global Artificial Intelligence Study: Exploiting the AI Revolution, projects that widespread adoption of AI could help boost the global economy by up to $15.7 trillion by 2030.
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Not everyone’s meat
However, while the younger generation increasingly turns to AI, not everyone is keen on the technology. A Salesforce survey revealed that only 13% of customers trust companies that use generative AI amid concerns about how companies use the technology.
Concerns have been raised over the impact of the adoption of AI on the job market, with fears that the technology will replace humans.
Tools like Midjourney and OpenAI’s ChatGPT have made it easier for people to compose lyrics, write scripts, essays, prose, and art without any form of professional skills.
Earlier this year, a Goldman Sachs report showed that generative AI could impact 300 million jobs across sectors, but at varying degrees. The report estimated that 46% of administrative tasks and 44% in the legal profession could be automated, while only 6% in construction could be affected.
While employees in the UK have generally adopted the technology, the country is also set to host an AI summit in November, where an array of topics will be tabled for discussion. Among them will be national security concerns, the threat of humans losing control of AI technology, and the potential disruption to elections, according to Bloomberg.
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