Employees are desperate for Gen AI Guidelines, organizations missing out

More than 70% of office workers claim to use generative AI tools at work, many of whom manage valuable information like customer details, employee data and company financials.

The rise of AI and companies like ChatGPT have been praised for increasing efficiency and accuracy in the workforce. That being said, the glass is not always half full. New research from Veritas Technologies reveals a growing divide between employees, brought on by AI in the workplace.

The survey was conducted by market research agency 3Gem in December 2023, and sampled nearly 12,000 office workers throughout the global workforce.

Employees want generative AI guidelines and policies. More than three-quarters (77%) of employees want guidelines, policies or training from their employers on using generative AI within their organizations. Nearly a quarter (23%) of workers do not use AI tools and think coworkers who do should be penalized.

“Without guidance from leaders around generative AI, some employees are using it in ways that put their organizations at risk, even as others hesitate to use it at all and resent their colleagues for doing so,” said Sonya Duffin, solutions lead at Veritas. “Organizations could face regulatory compliance violations or miss out on opportunities to drive productivity. Both issues can be resolved with generative AI policies on what’s OK and what’s not.”

Related: 3 ways generative AI will transform your people strategy in 2024

A lack of AI policies can put an organization at risk. Roughly a third (31%) of office workers report inputting sensitive information like customer details, employee data and company financials into their AI tools.

• 61% fail to recognize they are at risk of leaking sensitive information publicly
• 63% fail to understand how their organization may be violating data privacy compliance regulations

“Thoughtfully develop and clearly communicate guidelines and policies on the appropriate use of generative AI and combine that with the right data compliance and governance toolset to monitor and manage their implementation and ongoing enforcement. Your employees will thank you and your organization can enjoy the benefits without increasing risk,” said Duffin.