Despite widespread concerns about the potential dominance of AI, merely 1% of UK employers assert that AI significantly influences their business, with only 5% reporting regular utilisation.

Peninsula Group, a global advisory and consulting firm specialising in employment law, HR, and health and safety, conducted a survey spanning five countries – Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, and the UK. 

This survey aimed to explore the prospects and apprehensions that employers hold regarding the integration of AI in their workplaces and involved responses from 79,000 businesses.

Security risk is the foremost concern for 30% of employers on a global scale when it comes to implementing AI in the workplace. Additionally, significant concerns include the potential for an increased margin of error, potential impacts on team work quality and productivity, and the risk of intellectual property loss, all of which ranked prominently among their worries.

Among businesses that have integrated AI into their operations, the majority (40%) are employing it for administrative tasks, while creative writing tasks are the primary use for 35% of these businesses. 

In Ireland, a third of AI-utilising businesses are employing it for customer services, whereas in Australia, a quarter of employers, and in Canada, a third of employers, are harnessing AI for the purpose of drafting internal or company communications.

In addition, it was found that just one-third of employers are optimistic about AI's ability to bring positive transformations to numerous workplaces. Meanwhile, 40% of employers worldwide maintain the view that human employees are indispensable to their businesses. Lastly, more than half of employers either harbour doubts or anticipate that AI may eventually lead to a reduction in their company's workforce.

Commenting on the same, Peninsula Group Chief Operations Officer Alan Price, said “Throughout history, mechanical and technological advances have played a significant role in the changing face of industry, streamlining processes, reducing labour costs, and increasing productivity. AI is the latest in a long line of innovations – and it’s clear from these results that employers’ opinions are divided.”

“While many can see the benefits of AI, there are still significant concerns around security, productivity, and intellectual property that need to be addressed before we will see widespread implementation across global businesses. With online security and data protection being a top priority for most employers, this is not a big surprise,” added Alan Price.