New report finds lingering concerns about AI at work
The first wave of AI natives are joining the workforce and are eager, but cautious about the deployment of artificial intelligence tools at work, according to a new report from Zoom.
The report defined AI natives as individuals who are aged between 18 and 24, who have had early exposure to AI growing up, and are active users of the technology.
Zoom's report, which covered over 2,500 respondents in the Asia-Pacific region, found that 65% of Singapore's AI natives are positive and eager about using AI at work.
This is much higher than the proportion of non-AI natives in the report, where only 48% expressed eagerness to use the tools in the workplace.
The findings come amid the widespread adoption of AI in workplaces. Zoom's findings indicate that only four per cent of Singaporeans aren't using AI at work.
According to the report, the most common uses of AI at work are:
- Writing and editing
- Idea generation and brainstorming
- Translating documents from another language
With these benefits, the majority of AI natives (87%) and non-AI natives (74%) agree that it is important for employers to provide access to AI tools.
"Loyalty in the era of AI will depend on how well and fast organisations can evolve their technology stack to strike the right balance between AI and human connection," said Steve Rafferty, Head of EMEA and APAC, Zoom, in a statement.
"This is how organisations will earn trust, unlock growth, and future-proof their business."
Cautious about AI
Despite the widespread eagerness, the report found that Singaporeans still have lingering concerns over AI at work.
Among AI natives, 57% express concerns about the accuracy of AI-generated outputs, and 50% are worried about data privacy and security.
In contrast, data privacy and security are the top concerns for non-AI natives, with 58% indicating these as their primary worry.
Concerns about AI extend to personal exposure outside the workplace, according to the report.
The findings reveal that 92% of AI natives still prefer having the option to interact with a human agent during customer service experiences.
They cited the frustration of "disjointed experiences," particularly the need to repeat themselves when transitioning from a chatbot to a human representative.
Additionally, respondents observed that AI-generated responses are often generic and less helpful, whereas they feel more confident that a human agent will understand and address their specific concerns.
"Our research finds that poorly generated responses by AI can in fact undermine brand reputation and loyalty," said Lucas Lu, Head of Asia for Zoom, in a statement.
Lu said organisations need to think strategically about where technology fits in the customer journey.
"When implemented thoughtfully, AI can enhance the quality of self-service, while empowering human agents to deliver a more personalised and emotionally intelligent response," he said.
"By combining the best of both, organisations can deliver the elevated customer experience AI natives in APAC now expect."
