While generative AI has been the talk of the town since OpenAI publicly released ChatGPT in late 2022, employers still face an uphill battle to get their workforce on board with the new technology.
Only 12% of white-collar workers are already using generative AI, and 11% have active plans to use it. The rest are still considering it, or have no plans to use it, according to a survey of professional services industries including legal, tax and accounting, risk and fraud, and government professions, previously reported by Thomson Reuters. were conducted by While 81% of respondents say generative AI can be applied to their work, only 54% believe it. should The most common concerns respondents had regarding the use of AI included the potential for false answers, data security risks, privacy and confidentiality around the data it uses, compliance with laws and regulations, and ethical and responsible use. are
For Thomson Reuters Chief People Officer, Mary Alice Vosk, the findings show that HR teams still have a long way to go to convince employees to integrate AI into their workflows.
“It's a call to action that firms and leaders need to be very proactive in making this a strong priority, and an organizational priority, to help people understand it. [and] Giving them a safe space to experiment and use it,” she explains. good fortune.
While Thomson Reuters has used AI in some capacity for nearly three decades, the launch of ChatGPT in late 2022 prompted the company's leadership to rethink how its workforce can use the rapidly evolving technology. should do. But first, they had to figure out how to get workers on board. After the launch of ChatGPT, the company updated its internal policies, including its AI code of conduct, ethics, and guidance on how employees will use the technology safely.
Vuicic, who co-leads the company's internal AI adoption strategy with the chief technology officer, says her team focused a lot on communication efforts, an area she believes is important. I HR teams sometimes overlook the adoption of AI. Thomson Reuters launched an enterprise-wide learning day in April 2023, focusing on teaching employees the basics of AI and machine learning. More than 6,000 employees participated in sessions on AI and machine learning, and more than 10,000 people watched recordings of the company's AI 101 sessions. Soon, questions about AI quickly replaced hybrid work as the number one topic for employee questions at town halls or information sessions.
The company held another global learning day this year, during which it shared use cases for internal adoption. Some of these include the use of AI for engineering, customer service support, and case management for internal HR inquiries, allowing HR personnel to focus on more high-level issues.
“I think people underestimate the importance of that,” says Vivek. “Everybody's reading the headlines, and people are panicking… They're thinking, 'Am I going to get a job? What does this mean for me? For my kids, as they choose their education. ?' They're looking for places to talk about this, so we went very transparent, very open.
In conjunction with its Global Education Day, Reuters provided AI training for all employees with a secure platform where workers could experiment with various AI tools, including ChatGPT. Training for non-technical employees includes an introduction to AI and machine learning concepts, examples of how a company uses AI internally, and guidelines for responsible use of AI. For technical employees, training includes machine learning principles, how to use large language models, rapid engineering, and in-depth knowledge of the company's AI platform and services.
Vuicic's team found that after this training, the company saw increases in worker productivity, accuracy, quality of employee output, time freed from automation, and money saved from these improvements.
“Training and hands-on use to get it wrong [AI]That's something we're very focused on here,” she says. “The opportunity for firms, corporations, and individuals to prioritize training, prioritize exposure, and leverage experiences— I think that will remove a lot of hesitation.”
Paige McGlaughlin
paige.mcglauflin@fortune.com
@payment
Today's edition was prepared by Emma Burley.
Around the table
A roundup of the most important HR headlines.
Hedge fund Baupost Group has cut about 19% of its investment teams in its real estate and equities businesses as the company cuts funding in those areas. Bloomberg
Rural retailer Tractor Supply has cut all of its corporate diversity jobs and environmental initiatives amid criticism from conservative communities. The Wall Street Journal
Pfizer finally had a successful first quarter after its shares tumbled last year, but the company still has to re-engage employees who are worried about their careers after the downturn. CNBC
Water coolers
Everything you need to know. good fortune.
Corporate teachers. JP Morgan CEO Jamie Dimon says. Colleges are not preparing students for the business world., so company leaders are having to train them instead. –Eleanor Pringle
Taxation. Junior bankers on Wall Street are more common. Working more than 100 hours per weekWith little say in their work-life balance, as investment firms increase their assignment loads. –Kathryn Doherty, Bloomberg
Lifting the bar Massachusetts has just established $32.50 minimum wage for Uber and Lyft drivers, and businesses must pay a total of $175 million for violating state wage and hour laws. –Steve LeBlanc, AP
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