Employees View AI As An Asset, Not A Threat, According To New Study

The rise in AI has caused a mixture of excitement and fear as it becomes a standard part of our lives. Some say it is a risk to civilization as we know it, while others insist that it will transform the way we work, live and interact with one another. The part that is not debatable is that not only is AI not going away, it’s on the upswing. You can get that tattooed.

AI Jobs On The Upswing

Commenting on the June Jobs Report, James Neave, head of data science at Adzuna, stated that, according to Adzuna data, the U.S. has consistently had more jobs in AI than any other country since last year. “In the U.S., markets are still powered by AI hype,” he told me by email. “In a comparison with other countries, we’re seeing the U.S. had the most job vacancies citing AI (169,045 jobs) and Generative AI (3,575 jobs) in June. For reference, in India there were 25,900 jobs citing AI and in the UK there were 16,825 jobs in AI in June.” Neave says that despite the hype about layoffs in tech and media, the reality is that jobs are plentiful in AI. “People looking for high paying roles should keep an eye on AI in the second half of the year,” he advises. “Based on Adzuna research, the average advertised salary of jobs citing AI is $146,244. We expect businesses will continue posting more job ads for roles working with Generative AI, ChatGPT and chatbots as this year goes on.”

As a result of AI’s upswing, New York City passed a new law requiring companies that use AI software in hiring and promotion decisions notify candidates. Despite initial warning of the dangers of AI, the trend seems to be shifting with some insisting that AI has gotten a bum rap and that it is a huge boon for business. A recent piece in the Wall Street Journal reported that AI could be the key to making jobs easier instead of taking away so many jobs. And The Hollywood Reporter clarified rumors that Method Studios’ use of AI in the opening credits of “Secret Invasion” cost artists their jobs but instead was used to compliment and assist the creative teams.

Friend Or Foe?

Even the argument is being made at Leena AI that AI might just become everyone’s virtual personal assistant, automating everything from onboarding to performance management, freeing up staff to focus on more strategic initiatives. AI can assist in everyday jobs by automating repetitive tasks, providing data analysis and insights, personalizing customer experiences, improving healthcare services and streamlining recruitment processes. Lenna AI uses cutting-edge generative AI to produce human-like responses in context for a variety of tasks—from auto-completing email to generating detailed reports and recommending strategies based on existing business performance data.

While many narratives until now have focused on AI taking over jobs, a recent study of 1,200 U.S. employees by Amdocs, found that many workers, instead of being worried, are proactively embracing AI to make their jobs easier. More than two-thirds (66%) of full-time workers want their employers to offer AI solutions. More specifically, employees would like to see AI help them to:

• Book meetings and complete assistant-based tasks (18%)
• Do their jobs better and faster (51%), including booking meetings or assistant-based tasks (18%)
• Improve their personal and professional life (28%)
• Empower their career growth (58%)
• Train them in new areas to grow their skill set (28%)
• Scan their resume and match them to new jobs in the company (30%)

The study found that while younger employees and tech workers are the most likely to embrace AI in the workplace, older generations display a much higher resistance. In fact, nearly half (44%) of those ages 55-64 have no interest in using AI at work. Still, the writing is on the wall. AI is here to stay, and from all appearances the workforce is warming up to the idea that AI isn’t an enemy but a friend that can enhance, not hurt, the future of work.