Survey Shows Employees Who Use AI More Are More Concerned About Job Security
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In early 2023, OpenAI's ChatGPT had only been released for just over a month, and discussions about the impact of artificial intelligence on the workforce were just beginning. Fast forward to today, it's hard not to hear discussions about how generative AI will change the way we work—and whether some of those jobs will disappear entirely.
According to the latest CNBC|SurveyMonkey Workforce Survey, employees who use AI at work today are more likely to view it as a positive, with 72% reporting that it makes them more productive.
Gen Z (37%) and Millennials (35%) are the most likely to use AI at work. Only 25% of Gen X and 17% of Baby Boomers report using AI tools like ChatGPT in their jobs.
The survey also shows that AI is particularly popular among workers of color, with 41% of Asian employees, 38% of Black, and 36% of Hispanic workers having used AI software in their roles. In comparison, 23% of white workers report the same.
However, concerns about the long-term impact of AI accompany its increasing use.
Despite positive feedback from employees about AI, 42% express concerns about the technology's impact on their jobs. Among individual contributors, 44% say they are "very or somewhat concerned," compared to 38% of managers or higher-level employees.
Views on AI as a job threat also vary by income. Workers earning less than $50,000 annually are more concerned (47%) about the technology's impact compared to those making between $50,000 and $99,000 (39%) or over $100,000 per year (36%).
Additionally, while AI tools may be used more frequently among employees of color, the survey reveals significant concerns among these workers about its potential effects on their jobs: 53% of Asian and Black workers, along with 46% of Hispanic workers, are "very or somewhat concerned," compared to 37% of white employees.
This reflects a broader survey finding: the more employees use AI at work, the more concerned they become. Among regular AI users, 60% express worry about its impact on their jobs, while only 35% of those who don't use AI at work share the same concern.
The online poll was conducted by SurveyMonkey among 7,776 U.S. workers between December 4-8.
The debate on AI as a job killer is clearly far from over. Some argue that AI will eliminate certain repetitive, mundane jobs, such as cashiers and truck drivers. Others, like Elon Musk, believe it will eliminate all jobs.
As companies continue to explore this technology, some say employees have misconceptions about it. At a recent CNBC Work Summit, Arthur C. Brooks, a social scientist and Harvard professor who studies well-being, stated that AI is more likely to 'deconstruct' jobs rather than eliminate them.
Brooks said: 'Every job consists of many different tasks. AI will deconstruct these tasks and reassemble them in ways that differ from how work is done today.'
He added: 'Jobs will change, but not all will disappear.'
即使是像收银员这样的工作，自助结账机已经是一个威胁，也可以重新想象，Brooks说。"这些人有经验和工作道德，这才是你真正雇佣一个人时所雇佣的。不仅仅是有人能站在机器后面工作八小时，"他补充说。
对 AI 的集体担忧可以追溯到我们对变化的恐惧，但人类天生适应变化和前进， Brooks 说。因此，员工面临选择——他们可以将变化视为进步的机会，也可以将其视为不稳定。
前高盛首席财务官和首席信息官 Marty Chavez——他拥有斯坦福大学的计算机科学博士学位，也是 Alphabet 董事会成员——说，在 AI 时代，员工有三个选择：成为计算机科学家，与计算机科学家合作，通过技术使他们的工作更有趣和高效，或阻碍进步。据 Chavez 所说，只有最后一个选择肯定会作为职业策略失败，Chavez 帮助在华尔街引入了算法交易，并看到它如何改变职业。
Chavez said at the CNBC Work Summit: "Don't compete with computers." "I decided in seventh grade not to compete with calculators for multiplication. I was confident that finding things tools could do better would open new doors for me."
To alleviate concerns, company leaders would be wise to reframe changes as progress rather than just disruption. Brooks said, "Talking to employees about using different skills to get work done is far less frightening than convincing them AI will take away their livelihoods."