There’s often a stereotype around the disconnect between business leaders and new technology. Readers of a certain age likely remember the common caricature of the elderly manager dictating information to a secretary because the manager never learned how to type or the boss who simply couldn’t or chose not to understand e-mail.
While these examples may seem absurd today, the truth is that many business leaders get so set in their ways that they do fail to appreciate or learn how to use new technology.
But this isn’t so when it comes to artificial intelligence (AI)!
AI Sparks Leadership Interest
At least that’s one of the findings of a new survey commissioned by Zoom and conducted by Morning Consult and the resulting report, titled “AI in the Workplace.”
Some of the key findings include:
- Nearly all leaders (90%) said they were familiar with AI compared with 65% of employees.
- 70% of leaders spend a few times a week on administrative tasks or “work about work” compared with just over half of employees.
- 73% of leaders said they use AI at least a few times a week compared with just 32% of employees. In fact, 23% of employees said they don’t use AI at all compared with only 4% of team leaders who don’t use AI.
- Despite leaders having an overall positive view of AI, 71% of leaders said that because their team is used to working a certain way, it serves as a barrier to using AI.
- 69% of leaders say their teams wouldn’t know how to use AI; 67% say that’s because their team isn’t savvy with technology.
- 71% of leaders surveyed agreed that those who don’t introduce AI to their teams risk getting left behind, while 77% of leaders whose teams do use AI at work agreed they’re more productive.
These findings bring up an obvious opportunity: training.
Training Employees to Embrace AI
There’s an opportunity for organizations to educate employees on AI, especially because of the potential it holds to streamline processes and boost productivity in many ways.
While business leaders are often accused of being slow to adopt and adapt to new technology, the tech-savvy business leaders of today are bucking that trend when it comes to AI. These leaders see the potentially revolutionary impact of AI and are keen to leverage it wherever possible. That means the rest of the organization should be sure to stay up to date on new developments and do what they can to embrace AI themselves.
Is AI training on your radar for 2024? It should be!
Lin Grensing-Pophal is a Contributing Editor at HR Daily Advisor.
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