Dive Brief:
- As they pursue widescale AI adoption, nearly one-third of CEOs said trimming headcount is the key objective to deploying the technology, according to a Businessolver report published Tuesday. The employee benefits platform surveyed more than 300 C-suite executives and 1,000 employees for its report.
- Despite ongoing plans to cut costs by infusing AI into operations, nearly half of workers reported receiving little or no employer-sponsored AI training, the report found. Almost 4 in 10 workers said the use of AI is fueling concerns about their future at their organization, in another sign of elevated anxieties as companies roll out the technology.
- Some businesses pursue headcount reductions to appease investors, a move that can become unsustainable, said Marcy Klipfel, chief engagement officer at Businessolver. “The backside of that is it erodes your culture and it erodes trust,” Klipfel told CIO Dive.
Dive Insight:
Potential economic gain is one of the primary reasons businesses widen AI implementation plans, as automated outputs offer businesses a way to more with less. But cost concerns are mounting — in some cases, AI can get pricier than human workers; in other cases, businesses struggle to keep track of the costs they face.
A dearth of AI skills in the overall workforce is threatening the success of implementation plans. AI use is common among professionals, but fewer than one-third describe themselves as having a high-level of familiarity with AI tools, according to CompTIA data.
Trust in AI outputs is also lagging behind adoption efforts, as users grapple with concerns about data privacy and collection, accuracy and reliability when relying on AI tools, a Tether report found.
Amid the lack of trust in AI, Businessolver data found employer-sponsored AI training initiatives can lead to faster career progression, more confidence and optimism among workers. It’s up to executives to help shape the right cultural framework as adoption rolls on, Klipfel said.
“We all need to help figure out how can we use this in the best possible way to improve our lives, to improve our work, to better deliver for customers because we are more efficient,” Klipfel said.
IT executives should strengthen cross-functional partnerships as the technology touches more processes across organizations, Klipfel said.
“It’s a great opportunity to leverage that collaboration with your engagement in the HR function, with technology and product, or wherever you’re deploying your AI,” Klipfel said.
But first, leaders should help set a “working agreement” on AI use, according to Klipfel, in order to align the standard practices and guardrails for AI adoption.
