Since the introduction of ChatGPT, many of the world’s largest corporations have been eager to showcase their integration of innovative AI tools. However, an increasing number of employees are expressing dissatisfaction over their leaders’ "digital illiteracy," which they believe is hindering the productivity benefits that AI promises.
Research conducted by tech.io in 2023 revealed that two-thirds of business leaders have barely integrated new AI technology in their workplaces due to a lack of awareness of its potential utility. Employees have indicated that this hesitance is impacting their productivity. A survey by STEM advisory group SThree found that workers are losing approximately six hours weekly to manual tasks that could be streamlined with appropriate automation tools. Approximately 63% of employees attributed their bosses’ slow adoption of AI tools to a lack of digital literacy.
A construction worker from the Netherlands shared with SThree that not having access to the latest AI tools has led to a noticeable decline in their motivation to undertake new challenges at work. Similarly, an engineer from Japan reported spending a considerable amount of time on repetitive tasks that could be automated.
In Europe, although the region trails behind the U.S. in terms of large technology firms—with companies like Nvidia, Google, and Meta leading the generative AI boom from the States—there are indications that Europe’s major corporations, particularly those from industrial sectors, are beginning to incorporate AI into their operations. Companies such as Volkswagen have integrated chatbots into in-car entertainment systems and are exploring AI for enhanced safety and automation. Shell, the oil and gas giant, has employed AI in optimizing drilling operations and predictive maintenance.
Mark Read CBE, CEO of the advertising company WPP, previously commented to Fortune on the potential for European companies to leverage AI more aggressively, stating that there is significant opportunity for these companies to benefit from the extensive global investments in AI.
Despite these advancements, SThree’s analysis suggests that employees in non-tech sectors still lack access to the latest automated technology. Evidence indicates that some employees are using AI technology in secret. A recent Salesforce report found that one in five workers are "underground" AI users, concealing their use of the technology from colleagues and superiors due to unclear rules and expectations regarding AI in the workplace.
This data presents a contrast to the narrative that employees fear AI will replace them, as many are eager for their employers to adopt such technologies. Customer service workers, in particular, express concern over AI replacing their roles, with tech companies like Klarna planning to reduce their workforce by 1,800 employees leveraging AI.
SThree CEO Timo Lehne acknowledged that concerns about job security due to technological advancements are legitimate and should not be ignored by leaders. Nevertheless, their findings suggest that leaders are overly cautious and need to embrace AI as their teams have. Failure to do so may impede future organizational growth and contribute to increasing employee dissatisfaction.
