How the human-centric GenAI journey drives trust

As companies continue to invest in GenAI, business leaders have a significant opportunity not only to drive efficiency and reduce costs but also to reimagine the very nature of work — augmenting human intelligence instead of replacing it. But recent EY research reveals that a notable majority of employees across industries remain anxious about using AI at work, expressing genuine concerns around ethical usage, legal risk, job security, access to learning opportunities and much more.

To mitigate these fears and empower employees to utilize AI effectively and with confidence, organizations need to implement GenAI and other new technologies with people at the center. Embracing a human-centric approach to GenAI deployment that includes robust learning and upskilling opportunities, transparent communications and clear usage guidelines will be essential for leaders who are looking to harness the full potential of AI responsibly.

Most importantly, a people-focused GenAI journey is critical for companies to foster a deeper sense of trust with their employees, further boosting productivity and creating long-term business value for all their stakeholders.

The transformative potential of GenAI

The GenAI market is expected to see continued phenomenal growth in the coming years, by one estimate reaching over $1 trillion in revenue by 2032 with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 42%.[1] According to our research, 43% of US CEOs are already investing in GenAI and another 45% are intent on doing so in the next year. EY research also shows that 90% of organizations remain in the earliest stages of GenAI maturity, with many focused more on near-term efficiency gains than on fundamental changes in operating model design and workforce planning.

Today’s GenAI models can already perform non-routine cognitive tasks, which will soon significantly alter the day-to-day nature of many white-collar jobs. GenAI innovation will also spark transformative shifts in how companies and their workforce use technology.

As roles evolve and GenAI becomes embedded more deeply across employees’ day-to-day work, developing a workforce that is both knowledgeable about and confident in using the technology ethically will be critical for effective and responsible adoption over the long term.

Workforce concerns and hopes about GenAI

Our recent AI Anxiety in Business Survey revealed that people in the US workforce are experiencing some very real existential worries about job security in addition to concerns about AI training and upskilling opportunities. At 75%, an overwhelming majority of survey respondents are concerned that AI will render some jobs obsolete, with 65% worried that the technology will replace their role. Similarly, 67% say they’re concerned about being passed over for promotions if they aren’t sufficiently proficient in AI usage.

On a more positive note, our survey also identified several favorable sentiments, with four out of five participants seeing the value of AI at work and agreeing that it will make them more efficient, more productive and better able to focus on higher-value tasks. Another 80% believe that more training and upskilling opportunities would enhance their sense of comfort around AI usage.

Encouragingly, a significant majority would also be more likely to view their organization in a positive light if it provided greater transparency around three key actions: offering responsible AI learning opportunities (80%), creating a responsible AI task force (77%) and conducting a third-party review of the company’s AI practices (76%).

Upskilling and trust

To gain trust, enhance transparency and meet their employees where they are, companies need to design robust learning initiatives that enable all members of their multigenerational workforce to take part in the AI journey. This whole-of-organization approach not only will enhance productivity and retention, but also will boost employees’ confidence in using AI at work by addressing many of their pain points and preferences.  

Within our organization, we recently launched a new course on responsible AI as part of our EY Badges credentialing program, which also includes learnings in AI engineering and applied AI. Since then, more than 8,500 people have initiated this new course and more than 900 have completed it — the fastest ever adoption of a newly launched EY AI Badge — reinforcing that this approach to upskilling aligns with the experiences and opportunities our people are seeking.

Keeping people at the center

While people across the US workforce will likely continue to experience a range of emotions around AI, this new technology is poised to augment human intelligence and unlock countless opportunities that will empower everyone — clients, employees and the entire organization.

With these opportunities on the horizon, companies need to be intentional about bringing their people along on the journey and emphasizing the critical role they play in bringing their AI ambitions to life. They’ll need to strategically communicate how AI investments will enable employees to futureproof their skill sets, drive seamless collaboration between people and AI and transform the working world for the better. Leaders will need to establish best practices and processes to ensure responsible AI deployment and usage, including a dedicated AI task force, to effectively monitor ethical issues around AI within the organization and establish trust with all their stakeholders.

Summary

GenAI is sparking fundamental changes in how people work. Learning and development opportunities will empower employees and foster trust, purpose and belonging — all of which are critical as the need for responsible AI deployment intensifies. Companies that embed these principles with their people at the center will emerge as the true winners in our new paradigm.

[1] “Generative AI to Become a $1.3 Trillion Market by 2032, Research Finds,” Bloomberg website, https://www.bloomberg.com/company/press/generative-ai-to-become-a-1-3-trillion-market-by-2032-research-finds/, 1 June 2023.