Artificial intelligence seems to be at a tipping point. ChatGPT, a new AI tool making headlines for its ability to create human text and become creative in ways we never imagined, seems to be bringing unprecedented change to professionals and businesses around the world.
Some think it’s just another buzzword. But just a few months after its OpenAI release, ChatGPT is already revolutionizing a number of tasks, including content writing, data analysis, and programming. And analysts and business leaders are already talking about a seismic shift in the economy, even considering ChatGPT as the engine driving the fourth industrial revolution.
As its use continues to expand and more tools integrate AI and ChatGPT applications, we wanted to get an up-to-date snapshot of its impact at work. That’s why we surveyed 1,000 employees in the United States and asked about their thoughts and experiences on the role of ChatGPT and AI in the modern workplace.
Let’s take a closer look at what employees are saying.
Half of employees request training on AI tools
Although the latest AI tools, such as ChatGPT, are more intuitive and user-friendly than before, a large proportion of employees admit that they need training to make the most of them.
According to a survey by TalentLMS 49% of US employees say they need training on using AI tools. Twenty-three percent of employees surveyed said they don’t need training “because AI tools are easy to use,” and another 14% because they don’t plan to use them.
Even if half of the employees need training on AI platforms, it is striking only 14% report having received such training to date.
If we look only at respondents who have already used ChatGPT for work purposes (70% of the total sample), we see that more than half of them (51%) admit that they need training on AI tools. And only 18% received such training.
These statistics point to a significant gap in business readiness for the AI revolution – and an urgent need for training and support. Companies should invest in training to fully harness the power of AI and avoid potential pitfalls: relying on incorrect information from AI platforms and exposing sensitive company data.
Meanwhile, as the number and scope of AI applications for businesses continues to grow, the debate about the potential for automating employee training is growing. Can we trust artificial intelligence to create learning content?
Almost half of employees (46%) said they would trust learning content created by artificial intelligence. Only 27% of respondents said they would not trust AI-generated educational content, while another 27% had no opinion.
ChatGPT in the office – current snapshot
35 percent of US employees say their job duties have changed thanks to AI tools. When we asked our 1,000 respondents about the tasks and areas in which they find ChatGPT most useful, we received the following responses:
Unsurprisingly, content writing seems to be the most common use case for Open AI, which is the best we’ve seen so far in human text generation. Data analysis and customer support are also functions where ChatGPT seems to have wide application. Interestingly, employees also rely on the tool for more creative uses, such as “brainstorming and developing new ideas” and “navigating difficult conversations.”
A survey showed it 29% of US employees have not used ChatGPT for work purposes, of which 20% have not used it at all. Unsurprisingly, ChatGPT usage appears to be more common among Gen Z and Millennials. Only 24% of employees aged 18 to 44 have not used ChatGPT for work purposes, of which 16% have not used it at all. Looking at over 45s, 43% of employees did not use ChatGPT for work, of which 29% did not use it at all.
For those who have already used it, ChatGPT seems to provide significant benefits at work. Respondents say the new AI tool helped them:
- improve your time management (61%)
- Increase your productivity (57%)
- Faster access to information and decision-making (53%)
- They have increased confidence in their day-to-day role (37%)
But ChatGPT is not a panacea
Despite the above advantages, almost one in five (19%) US workers who have used ChatGPT at work say their employer opposes its use.
And almost one in four (23%) admit they don’t want their employer to know they’re using this tool at work.
While ChatGPT offers numerous benefits, eight out of 10 US employees are concerned about its use. The TalentLMS survey showed that the most common concerns of users are as follows:
- Removing the human touch from certain tasks (48%)
- Providing misinformation or factually incorrect information (44%)
- Plagiarism (29%)
- Grammatical errors (27%).
AI: Blessing or Threat?
According to our survey, massive 69% of employees estimate that over time most daily tasks will be performed with the help of AI.
While employees predict that artificial intelligence will be a strong helper in most tasks in the future, they think that certain soft skills will never be replaced by deep learning algorithms. More than half of respondents (55%) in the TalentLMS survey think that AI will never develop human soft skills such as creativity, empathy or moral awareness.
But almost half of TalentLMS survey respondents (44%) fear that AI will replace them or other employees in the future.
“People can feel threatened by technology that shows creativity,” comments Thanos Papangelis, co-founder of TalentLMS and CEO of Epignosis. “On the contrary, productivity will increase significantly and our economies, which appear to have flattened, will see an increase in growth similar to that of the Internet or mobile phones. Jobs may be destroyed, but history has shown that many more jobs will be created.” he adds.
We are just beginning to scratch the surface of the possibilities of artificial intelligence. Sooner or later, most businesses will need to take advantage of the opportunities that AI brings to stay competitive, while being aware of the potential challenges and risks it brings. As Thanos Papangelis says,
“We are entering an exploration phase where most of the software, research and human experience will have an AI angle. This is a monumental moment in history and we should think about it as an opportunity to improve our lives.”
About the survey
The topic of the survey was the impact of ChatGPT tools and AI on work. The survey of 1,000 full-time US workers was conducted online by TalentLMS on March 7, 2023. Respondents were 51% female and 49% male and spanned all age groups: 11.2% were 18-24, 27, 1% were 25-34, 30.5% were 35-44, 18.9% were 45-54 and 12.3% were over 54.
