Employees fear AI will make them lose their jobs

61% of employees fear AI will take over at least 25% of their role by 2023. A further 38% of 18-34 year olds fear that AI will take at least 50% of their job in the next ten years.

82% of employees have had no AI training, a number that rises to 96% amongst employees aged over 55. The generational data skills gap suggests older employees could be more prone to technological displacement in the workplace.

The survey of 3,000 senior data leaders and 1,5000 employees conducted by Corndel highlights the importance of preparing for the unbridled evolution of AI.

The perils of the data skills gap

92% of employees working with data think there is a skills gap in their workplace, with nearly 50% of senior decision makers stating the lack of data skill is holding back their business transformation.

Research by McKinsey Global Institute found that data-driven businesses are over 20 times more likely to acquire new customers and six times more likely to retain them.

The lack of data literacy is already increasing risks amongst organisations that aren’t future-proofing their workforce. 32% point out the heightened likelihood of errors and misinterpretation at work, 29% report higher levels of stress among employees, and 29% highlight missed growth opportunities for their organisation.

Besides hampering an organisation’s growth, the skills gap is also narrowing opportunities for employees. According to research by AND Digital, 20% of workers did not apply for a job and 26% did to seek or achieve a promotion because of their lack of digital skills.

Without the right set of skills and training, organisations are struggling to keep up with the technological revolution.

Preparing for the future

Many employers believe that prioritising employees’ digital and data skills development will have positive impacts on wider business performance.

According to a survey by Salesforce, 47% believe it will boost productivity, 43% think it will improve team performance, and 40% highlight the potential to enhance problem-solving capabilities.

“Only by implementing continuous skills development programmes, can organisations empower their employees to leverage tech and data confidently and effectively, to fuel transformative change and drive successful performance,” enthuses James Kelly, CEO and Co-Founder of Corndel.

According to David Brown of Executive Education at Imperial College Business School organisations have a lot to lose, but equally, plenty to gain if they act in a timely manner.

“In today’s fast-paced world, delaying decisions has significant consequences, perhaps sooner than we think. Conversely, the ROI on capability development is much faster, tangible, and easier to prove.”

Artificial intelligence does have the capability of displacing workers, but those that will be safely anchored to their roles will be those that prepare with the necessary data and digital skills.