Employees are already using AI. The question is, do managers know it

“Various international studies show that about 60-70 percent of organizations are already using artificial intelligence (AI) in at least some area of ​​their activities. However, I always wonder how these numbers are calculated. If an employee uses ChatGPT or another AI tool, does that mean that the organization is using AI?

 

My personal experience working with managers and businesses shows that people are using AI in their work much more often than they did a few years ago. If earlier, when asked at events or trainings who use AI tools, 10-20 percent of people would raise their hands. Today, more than 90 percent of people do so.

 

However, the mere fact that a person claims to use artificial intelligence does not tell us much. A closer look at how people actually work with AI reveals a much broader picture. Some use various apps only for small tasks or to check information, while others are already creating their own AI assistants or agents that help perform different tasks and increase productivity.

 

Employees don't talk about AI

 

What I notice and what various studies show is that many employees today use artificial intelligence in one way or another, but they don't talk about it publicly. Maybe some are still uncomfortable admitting it, or maybe everyone is just trying to be a little smarter than others.

 

Often, several employees in an organization solve the same task differently and each individually looks for ways to use artificial intelligence. However, this experience remains personal. As a result, the entire organization does not learn and does not understand where AI tools can actually create the most value.

 

Often, no one in the organization knows exactly who is using what. It is unclear what tools are used, what tasks they are used for and what data is uploaded to them. In many organizations, there are still no clear rules on who can use what and what responsibilities employees have.

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On the other hand, the attitude of managers towards artificial intelligence is gradually changing. In many organizations, it is already understood that this topic needs attention. However, the change itself is still happening quite slowly. One of the reasons is that some organizations still do not know where to start, what processes are worth changing and in which areas artificial intelligence could create the greatest value.

It is more expensive not to invest in employees

 

Today, there is still no artificial intelligence tool that could completely replace an employee. There is still a need for a person to supervise it, check the results and formulate tasks. We don’t yet have a general AI that would be enough for one team and would understand what needs to be done on its own.

 

Therefore, in my opinion, it is more expensive not to license employees, not to train them, and not to help them increase their productivity. Meanwhile, competitors who do this simply become more productive.

 

On the other hand, by not providing employees with the tools and knowledge, we must understand that some of them will still use artificial intelligence on their own initiative. This may pose not only information security, but also reputational or legal risks.

 

This topic becomes even more relevant due to the European Union’s AI Act. It obliges organizations to ensure employees’ AI literacy. Therefore, it is important for managers to know not only whether employees are using AI, but also whether they are doing so safely and responsibly.

 

The biggest risk today is not that employees are using artificial intelligence. A bigger risk for a company is not knowing how employees use it.

 

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Gediminas Buivydas is the co-founder of the company “AI Officer”, a lecturer at the ISM Management Master’s degree program.”