As artificial intelligence chatbots like ChatGPT take hold of the workplace, employers and employees alike are questioning the future of business — namely, whether AI will serve as a tool for workers or their replacement.
AI software company Beautiful.ai surveyed 3,000 managers across the U.S. about their perception and implementation of AI technology in the workplace. Notably, 66% of managers say they would gladly replace employees with AI tools if AI could produce comparable work. And while AI is not advanced enough to replace human labor, this survey result points to the pressure managers may feel in the face of inflation, layoffs and a looming recession, explains Sam Radbil, a research strategist at Beautiful.ai.
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"We view AI tools as accommodations and enhancements for workers rather than replacements," says Radbil. "But it's a sign of the economic times that managers view AI as a savings opportunity, and want to use AI instead of paying employees."
Radbil underlines that a majority of managers still trust human-produced work over AI, but that won't stop companies from wishing they could pay less for the same results. Beautiful.ai further explored managers' thoughts on AI, and whether employees should be worried.
Here are 5 findings that reveal how managers feel about AI in the workplace, according to Beautiful.ai.