New report reveals how employers can close the trust gap when it comes to AI
The majority of employees in New Zealand are worried artificial intelligence will lead to job losses, according to a new report, which revealed a major trust gap when it comes to AI use.
The report by One NZ revealed that 77% of Kiwis have knowingly interacted with AI-powered services in the past 12 months.
More than four in 10 respondents acknowledged that some of AI's benefits include boosting productivity (43%), strengthening cybersecurity and fraud prevention (42%), as well as accelerating scientific research and innovation (41%).
Despite these gains, 65% of Kiwis remain concerned about the loss of human jobs amid AI implementation, fuelling hesitation in using these tools.
More than 60% said they are also worried about the misuse of personal data (67%) and AI making incorrect or unfair decisions (62%), according to the report.
"While we recognise the enormous potential benefits of AI, it's important to appreciate many Kiwis have concerns, particularly around how their data will be used, how decisions will be made by these autonomous agents, and what this means for people's jobs," said Jason Paris, chief executive officer of One NZ, in a statement.
Failing to build trust can have severe consequences for organisations, as 62% of the respondents said they would stop using a company if they had concerns about its AI practices.
"This underscores the direct business impact of trust deficits in AI implementation," the report read.
The findings indicate the continued cautious approach of New Zealand workers when it comes to AI, a sentiment previously flagged by a Deloitte report last year.
To increase this trust, One NZ's respondents indicated that human involvement will be the key.
More than half of the respondents said having a clear option to talk to a human if needed (73%), as well as evidence of human oversight (57%), will be some of the keys to increasing trust in AI tools.
Paris said increasing this trust in AI tools will also need transparency from organisations, as people want to know when AI is being used and how to get human support when needed.
"That's why we believe communication and training go hand-in-hand with any rollout of these tools. Transparency is key," he said.
At One NZ, Paris said they have committed a quarter of their budget to ensure that employees gain AI skills that are transferable within the market.
"We're hoping by sharing our experiences we can help other organisations to maximise AI tools, and boost productivity for New Zealand overall," the CEO said. "It's also important to remember that to benefit from AI, businesses need to ensure they have the underlying technology in place, including an AI-ready network and digital infrastructure."
