Ernst & Young LLP (EY US) has unveiled its latest Technology Pulse Poll, exploring the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on the future of work, spanning integration, talent, and culture. Conducted in March 2024, the survey engaged over 250 leaders in the technology industry, shedding light on the dynamic landscape of AI in workplaces.
The poll reveals that 50% of business leaders foresee a blend of layoffs and hiring within the next six months due to AI adoption. However, despite recruitment initiatives, three in five technology leaders (61%) express that the emergence of technology has heightened the difficulty of sourcing top technology talent.
“Companies are undeniably reshaping their workforce to embrace AI capabilities. This shift heralds a continuous cycle of strategic workforce restructuring, marked by simultaneous layoffs and hiring, albeit not in equal proportions,” notes Vamsi Duvvuri, EY Technology, Media and Telecommunications AI Leader. “Nevertheless, amidst this transition, both employees and companies exhibit enthusiasm for AI, particularly in terms of opportunities for scalability and competitive advantage in the market.”
The survey indicates that 72% of respondents affirm that their employees utilize AI daily in the workplace, with primary applications including coding and software development (51%), data analysis (51%), and internal and external communication (47%). Despite apprehensions surrounding AI, and calls for increased regulation, a majority of technology business leaders (85%) believe that emerging technology has positively influenced workplace culture.
“AI is revolutionizing work methodologies, offering avenues for innovation and expansion, while simultaneously presenting unprecedented challenges, notably in talent acquisition,” remarks Ken Englund, EY Americas Technology, Media and Telecommunications Leader. “Our recent pulse poll reflects the generally optimistic sentiment among technology companies towards the forthcoming productivity wave. There is palpable excitement within these firms about effectively leveraging their industry tools.”
The EY survey additionally reveals:
- Persistent concerns surrounding AI, particularly in regulatory aspects. Technology business leaders identify upskilling employees (33%), copyright infringement and intellectual property (IP) theft (33%), and opacity in decision-making processes (37%) as primary apprehensions. Furthermore, almost half of technology business leaders advocate for increased AI regulation, particularly to mitigate AI-generated bias (48%), safeguard user privacy (48%), and protect IP (47%).
- Despite ongoing challenges, investment in AI continues to escalate. Despite lingering concerns, 82% of tech business leaders plan to boost AI investment in the coming year. From a recruitment perspective, tech leaders prioritize investment in specific roles, such as cybersecurity analysts (69%), data scientists (68%), and AI engineers (68%).
- Recognition of the critical importance of AI upskilling for organizational success. Nearly two-thirds of technology business leaders (64%) confirm their company’s implementation of internal development programs to enable employees to adapt to rapidly evolving generative AI (GenAI). Furthermore, three-quarters of technology business leaders (76%) report the implementation of internal technical certifications to facilitate employee alignment with GenAI.
Methodology
EY US commissioned Atomik Research to conduct an online survey of 255 business leaders in the technology industry across the United States. The margin of error is +/- 6 percentage points with a confidence level of 95%. Fieldwork took place between March 8 and March 16, 2024.
Source: prnewswire.com
