AI transforms. This simple truth not only encompasses the nature of AI but AI’s influence on our society. AI integrates into our everyday experiences through smart devices, home automation systems, and wearable technology. One may rest upon a couch as an Alexa cues music and brightens the lights at sundown. One may ascertain the time and weather from Siri while stirring a soup. The ubiquity of AI has allowed it to increase convenience, personalization, and adaptation to individual behaviors.
AI’s transformative nature also concerns some about privacy and data security because it pools with personal information. As AI advancements and risk continue to accelerate, the general population’s attitude and ability concerning AI trends has become a fascinating topic.
FPOV, in fact, released its first annual HUMALOGY® Trends Report in 2023, focusing on the important relationship between the human and digital workforce. Their emphasis on understanding AI trends as High Beam insight and strategy in our changing society continues to be a central theme in the 2024 HUMALOGY® Trends Report, which will be released in August.
For example, in June we polled an audience of organizational leaders to determine how much they believe AI will improve their productivity. Surprisingly, the majority of respondents, 40%, felt that AI would make their job substantially easier. Only 1% of respondents believed AI would not improve their productivity at all.
This result corresponds with findings in the recent “AI in Business” Report by SAX LLP. Statistics from this report revealed that almost half of business leaders felt implementing AI would immediately benefit their organization. Only 5% of respondents thought AI implementation would negatively affect their business.
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Cumulatively, these results discern overall excitement about AI’s improvement of various aspects of life. People appreciate the convenience, efficiency, and innovative possibilities AI offers, not just in their homes and personal lives. For instance, in healthcare, AI can enhance diagnostic accuracy, personalize treatment plans, and predict disease outbreaks. In finance, AI algorithms improve fraud detection and inform investment decisions.
Despite general optimism toward AI, however, recent polling also reveals a lack of AI knowledge. When asked to describe their current level of AI knowledge, 55% of people responded that they have mostly read about it and played with some of the tools. Only 9% of people study, consistently use, and frequently test new AI. The SAX report helpfully extrapolates this reality by expressing that, “while many who stay on top of industry trends likely have a general knowledge of recent AI developments, they may not have demonstrated experience using the technology.” Statistics from the SAX report determine that 70% of business leaders have some experience with AI. From both polls, one can also deduce that the general public is reasonably well informed about the importance of AI. Few, however, truly master AI in all areas of their life.
AI’s transformative nature makes mastery a challenge. Yet, the SAX Report emphasized that 84% of business leaders prefer demonstrated AI experience in the hiring stage. Experience with Generative AI, for example, has become desirable because of its ability to create content, from text and images to music. Powered by large language models, Generative AI finds its place in various fields such as marketing, entertainment, and customer service. With Generative AI, people can produce human-like text and high-quality visuals.
While such a skill would be useful for prospective employees, another poll determined that 51% of people have not yet even tried Generative AI with their own hands. Only the smallest margin of respondents, 1%, felt they had mastered this AI in their company.
These trend polls demonstrate the rising value of AI. Organizations, business leaders, and the general public recognize the value of experience with AI. AI’s evolving nature also births concern for employees and business leaders alike. FPOV’s 2024 annual Trends Report found that people waver between enthusiasm for AI’s swift improvement of its own capabilities and concern for the ethical risk of ungoverned AI usage. Indeed, the key takeaway from the SAX Report was that business leaders feel security and privacy are greater AI risks than replacing the jobs of employees.
When organizations haven’t attained proper experience and governance of AI, they place themselves at risk for unethical and irresponsible use of AI technologies. This risk may lead to various consequences, such as perpetuated biases, infringed privacy rights, and potential litigation, endangering both organizations and individuals. Lack of AI management can also cause technological stress within users, another topic FPOV will cover in their 2024 Report.
These downsides to transformational AI trends have not hindered interest in AI becoming a core part of work and home life. From various reports, one can determine that many experience hope in the possibilities of AI, mingled with concern for its ethical implications and security risks. Regardless, AI trends indicate swift expansion of its applications and capabilities, necessitating open communication between all parties involved. Such communication will help organizations, and the general public, strike a balance between innovation and responsibility, ensuring that AI meets the desired outcomes.
About the Author
A true believer in the value of communication in the written word, Ana Sakore strives to bring great care in every piece of content she produces. Ana studies English and Music at Messiah University and serves as FPOV’s writing intern.