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Zoho Corporation just released the findings of its “Data Privacy and Generative AI Usage” study, conducted in collaboration with CRM Essentials.
The study surveyed 1,000 U.S. employees across various industries, company sizes, and disciplines to understand how they interact with Generative AI at work, their attitudes toward the technology, and their concerns regarding data privacy.
Raju Vegesna, Chief Evangelist at Zoho, says, “The survey data demonstrates that employees stand to benefit greatly from generative AI, but their hesitancy is rooted in a lack of experience more than privacy concerns.
“Still, it is crucial for businesses to recognize the possible dangers that come with utilizing GenAI. Companies should adopt a holistic approach of gradually integrating the AI features while training their employees on how to use the technology safely within stringent guidelines to reduce risks and attain long-lasting success in the digital workplace era.”
The Rise of GenAI in the Workplace
The study highlights a significant divide between daily users of GenAI and those who have yet to adopt the technology.
Among the respondents, only 24% reported using GenAI on a daily basis, while 37% said they had never used it, primarily because their companies do not mandate its use. Despite the relatively low adoption, those who do use GenAI reported substantial benefits:
- 40% of daily users claimed that GenAI has “significantly” increased their productivity.
- 17% said GenAI has become “indispensable” to their daily work.
The study also revealed that GenAI is primarily used for supporting repetitive tasks. The most common daily uses of GenAI among employees include finding quick answers to work-related questions (19.9%), creating email content (15.3%), video creation (12.2%), and summarizing long business documents (11.6%).
Interestingly, only 18% of respondents use GenAI solely for work purposes, with 32.5% using it mainly for work, 22.9% for both work and personal use, and 16.5% exclusively for personal tasks.
Employee Sentiment Toward GenAI: Hopeful Yet Cautious
The study found that daily users of GenAI tend to have a more positive outlook on the technology compared to non-users. Among daily users, 78% believed that AI would have a positive impact on their work experience, while only 13% of non-users shared this sentiment. Additionally, 56% of daily users expressed comfort in sharing personal data with GenAI, compared to just 12% of non-users.
Despite the optimism among daily users, there remains a significant undercurrent of concern regarding the broader implications of AI:
- 46% of all respondents believed AI poses a threat to their job security.
- 26% described AI as a “necessary evil.”
- 74% of respondents called for government legislation to regulate how AI is trained using employee data.
- 75% advocated for legislation to govern intellectual property rights related to AI-generated content.
Brent Leary, Partner at CRM Essentials, commented on the study’s findings, emphasizing the need for companies to take a strategic approach to GenAI adoption. “Companies are rushing to implement generative AI without a strategic plan, foisting it on a workforce that’s understandably hesitant to jump in,” Leary said. “Our survey meets employees where they are by demystifying their sentiment towards AI and demonstrating the best paths forward in increasing adoption of this powerful new technology.”
Data Privacy Concerns: Convenience Over Caution
The study underscores a paradox in employee attitudes toward privacy and convenience. While many respondents expressed concerns about the potential privacy risks associated with GenAI, the majority still prioritized convenience over data protection. Specifically:
- 67% of respondents prioritized convenience over data privacy.
- 30% of daily users reported being comfortable sharing personal data with GenAI tools.
Among those hesitant to adopt GenAI due to privacy concerns, the top issues included sharing financial information (18.6%), personal identification details (16.8%), location data (12.2%), and health details (11.8%).
Preferences in Performance Evaluation: Human vs. AI Assessment
The study also explored how employees feel about AI’s role in evaluating work performance. The results revealed that:
- 39.3% of respondents preferred to have their performance and behavior evaluated by humans.
- 12.2% were comfortable with AI conducting these evaluations.
- 16.3% felt equally comfortable being assessed by either AI or humans.
- 22.2% were most comfortable with a combination of both AI and human assessments.
Image: Canva
