AI Adoption in the Workplace Reaches Record High, Fueling Employee Concerns
Microsoft and LinkedIn released their annual Work Trend Index this week, examining the impact of AI on the job market by surveying 31,000 people across 31 countries. The study revealed that while 75% of workers use AI in their daily tasks, more than half of those surveyed are reluctant to admit they use AI for their most important tasks. In fact, 53% of those who use AI for critical tasks fear it will make them replaceable. Nearly half of professionals are considering quitting their current job within the next year.
The solution for these employees is to overcome their fears and start adopting AI. They need to shift to an optimistic mindset, embracing the opportunity to acquire AI skills, which will make them more attractive to their current or future employers.
On the employer side, they are eager to hire workers with AI skills. According to the study, the recruitment of technical AI talent has skyrocketed by 323% over the past eight years. However, non-technical collaborators who can use AI tools are also in high demand. 66% of leaders stated they would not hire someone without AI skills, and 71% of them would prefer to hire a less experienced worker with AI skills over a more experienced one without.
Moreover, over three-quarters of professionals believe they need AI skills to remain competitive in the job market and that it will give them access to more career opportunities. Almost 70% of them believe AI can help them get promoted faster.
Paradoxically, although employers appreciate AI knowledge in the workplace, they are not taking an active approach to develop their employees' skills. For instance, about half of American leaders are not currently investing in AI tools or products for their employees, and only a quarter of companies plan to offer generative AI training this year. Only 39% of people who use AI at work worldwide have received AI training from their employer.
What's interesting about these findings is that it seems employees have grasped AI adoption, but companies have not yet fully caught up.