Confusion around the integration of generative AI in the workplace continues to be a headache for organizations, with undertrained workers and poor policies failing to protect vital information.
A new report by Veritas Technologies has revealed half (49%) of UK office workers are now using generative AI at least once per week, with on in five (19%) incorporating tools like ChatGPT into their daily workflow.
However, the study found two in five (38%) workers input sensitive information into public generative AI tools, such as customer, financial, or sales data.
Companies aren’t protecting themselves from AI dangers
A lack of awareness is evident, with nearly two-thirds failing to recognize that inputting sensitive data into public GenAI tools could result in leaking information (60%) and failing to understand that doing so could breach data privacy compliance (62%) for the company.
Together with enthusiasm for the productivity-boosting technology, workers have expressed frustration owing to the lack of clear guidance. Around half (49%) are calling for guidelines or mandatory policies surrounding generative AI use, yet 44% of the UK businesses surveyed failed to provide such measures.
Outside the four walls of their organizations, employees also expressed a desire for national or international regulation around AI.
While many workers use artificial intelligence to do research (37%), emails (43%) and write reports (17%), there’s a clear rift between older and younger colleagues. Four in five (80%) 18-24-year-olds use AI regularly, while two-thirds (63%) of 55-64-year-olds have never used the technology.
Those unfamiliar with AI believe that colleagues should be reported to line managers, face a pay cut, or receive disciplinary action.
Veritas Technologies Solutions Lead, Sonya Duffin, commented: “Without guidance from leaders on how or if to utilise generative AI, some employees are using it in ways that put their organisations at risk, even as others hesitate to use it at all and resent their colleagues for doing so.”
Clearly, besides implementing vital policies, wider training and education is required for companies to benefit from (and stay safe from) artificial intelligence in the workplace.
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