Generative AI in the workplace translates into both productivity gains and risks for employers, argues KPMG Canada in a study published in June.
One in five Canadians would use generative artificial intelligence (AI) at work or in their studies, according to KPMG Canada; 18% of people do it daily, 34% a few times a week, and 26% a few times a month. Today, 65% of users of generative AI even feel that it’s essential for managing their workload and that it has boosted their productivity and the quality of their work, or created new revenues for them.
Do more in less time
More than half of generative AI users say it saves them up to five hours of work per week, and two-thirds (67%) spend that time-saving on additional tasks they could not have done otherwise.
On the other hand, AI is not without risk for employers: 16% of its users believe that their boss is not aware that they use it at work. What’s more, 61% of employers say their customers don’t know they’re using this technology!
Users also indicate that they are not always transparent when using this technology. And 73% of users are very concerned about the “inventions” produced by generative AI… but 70% of them continue to use it nonetheless! Worse still, half of them do not check the accuracy of their results.
Challenges for companies
While a quarter of employers say they block this technology on laptops or their internal networks, 30% would rather use technologies to help AI model algorithms comply with data regulations, but 40% of employees report that there are no such controls.
The KPMG Canada study also reports that nearly a quarter (23%) of professionals using generative AI enter information about their employer in their messages, relating to financial or customer data, human resources and the supply chain.
Therefore, organizations must quickly adopt control and training processes for their personnel. "They must prevent employees from entering sensitive information into generative AI messages or relying on false or misleading AI-generated material," said Zoe Willis, partner, Data Analytics and digital transformation at KPMG Canada.
Generative AI framework policies are essential bulwarks for complying with privacy laws regarding personal information. Because corporate data is a strategic asset, its protection is essential in a context of intensifying cyber attacks, which represent a serious risk to reputation.
In this vein, 75% of consumers consider organizations with policies addressing AI to be more trustworthy than those without.
The KPMG Canada survey was conducted over the Internet among 5,140 Canadians in May, with a margin of error of 3 percentage points and a confidence level of 85%.