KI: Trust is missing – Human Resource Management

AI is now increasingly finding its way into everyday life – whether it's sending a quick message to ChatGPT or displaying AI-generated content (whether consciously or unconsciously) on various social media platforms. Artificial intelligence is here to stay. This is also what the majority of workers in Germany see.

According to a study commissioned by InKonstellation, the majority of employees in Germany expect AI to change the world of work in the next five years (54 percent). 1,051 people were surveyed in Germany for a study of training providers. Factors that will change according to participants include increased productivity, automation of routine tasks, and increased monitoring and control of the workforce. The answers indicate that opinions differ in the extent to which this development is viewed negatively or positively.

The majority see AI as an opportunity

About 55% of those surveyed see the use of AI as an opportunity. Reasons for this include, for example, expected positive consequences on sustainability and climate through reduced resource use (65 percent) or increased efficiency in production, logistics or customer service (62 percent).

But 45% of those surveyed also see risks in using AI. For example, they fear the political risks of using fake data or images in political disputes (70%) or increased automation and the resulting massive job loss (50%). Despite risks such as increased automation, only a small percentage expect their jobs to be threatened. There are almost no differences between people with an academic degree (ten percent) and those without (nine percent). Historian and author Yuval Noah Harari sees it differently. It is expected that the victory of artificial intelligence will lead to the creation of the so-called “useless class.” In his opinion, this will remain structurally unemployed.

Participants in another survey also expressed concern about being fired from work. According to Boston Consulting Group's AI at Work 2024: Friends and Foes survey, 59 percent of respondents believe their jobs will not exist in the next decade because of AI. 78% of those surveyed also assume that their jobs will change significantly in the coming years due to the use of artificial intelligence. This means that Germany is close to the global average in terms of expectations of the revolutionary potential of technology (79 percent globally), although expectations that AI will replace one's own job are much higher in Germany at 59 percent compared to 42 percent. . percent. A total of 13,102 people were interviewed for the study, 1,002 of whom were in Germany.

The Germans are more skeptical

In general, Germans seem to be more critical of new technology than many others. While more than half of those surveyed in India (54%) and the Middle East (52%) trust AI, in Germany this percentage is only 40%. This skepticism is also reflected in the behavior of using AI applications. Among Indian respondents, 96% said they use AI applications. Among German participants, the percentage was about 92 percent.

Germans are particularly uncomfortable with the use of artificial intelligence in the order selection process. According to a study by the SAS Institute, nearly 80 percent of the 1,016 respondents said: “Applicant selection is a highly sensitive issue, which makes it all the more important to ensure consistent transparency, traceability and data protection.” Iwona Szylar, Managing Director of SAS Germany talks about the results. However, participants were less critical of banking and insurance transactions (69%), diagnostic and treatment recommendations (61%), and AI-based product recommendations (44%).

Trust in AI increases with usage behavior

In general, it can be said that trust in AI increases with usage behavior. According to a Boston Consulting Group survey, ranking within a company also makes a difference in usage behavior. Among those in management positions, 86% of those surveyed regularly use AI applications. While only 43% of employees use AI regularly.

This is likely because managers are being trained earlier and more thoroughly on the topic of AI and how they can use it in their own jobs. In Germany, 57% of managers and only 35% of employees have actually been asked about this topic. Therefore, the authors of the study came to the conclusion that managers must transform their companies so that artificial intelligence is used more often in daily work. At a roundtable on the study, Vincien Beauchaine, global leader for human AI at Boston Consulting Group, said it is important that specialized knowledge about AI is built into companies. Technology is evolving so rapidly that there must be people in the workforce who have extensive knowledge of the subject. But you shouldn't invest in AI randomly, you should investigate what really works for your company, says Jeff Walters, Greater China leader at Boston Consulting Group.

The majority agree that the correct use of artificial intelligence brings benefits. For example, 83% of AI users in Germany agree with the statement that they work faster thanks to AI. 80% also believe that the quality of their work has improved through AI.

Artificial intelligence will change the way we work with each other

But AI will not only change the way we work, it will also change the way people work with each other. Only 12% assume that AI will have a weak or very weak impact on collaboration. The majority of those surveyed in the InKonstellation study expect at least slight (46 percent) or strong (29 percent) to very strong (13 percent) changes. According to those surveyed, the use of artificial intelligence could have a negative impact on communication with each other and on interpersonal aspects in general in the future.

This is not the only reason why InKonstellation assumes that AI penetration into the world of work will lead to massive transformations. Boston Consulting Group advises against overwhelming employees during these transitions. Managers should consider to what extent it makes sense to start certain processes in parallel and whether in certain situations it is better to start one process after another.