An upside to automation? Majority of Irish IT leaders say AI reduces workplace stress, survey finds.
A new survey from Storm Technology has revealed that 68% of IT leaders in Ireland believe the use of artificial intelligence (AI) by staff helps reduce stress levels in the workplace.
The research, which surveyed 200 IT decision-makers across Ireland and the UK, found that 60% of respondents think AI will help reduce burnout in their organisation. Additionally, 72% believe AI can support a better work-life balance for employees.
“Empowering people will drive the biggest impact across the whole business”
According to the survey, 66% of IT leaders say AI enables staff to reduce manual, repetitive tasks and focus on more meaningful work. More than half (57%) report that employees are optimistic about the impact of AI on their daily routines.
The findings also show that AI adoption is already widespread among Irish IT leaders. In Ireland, 70% of respondents work in organisations that permit the use of AI, and 68% are using the technology to assist with their own work. Over half (51%) use AI daily for work purposes, while only 2% say they never use it.
Barriers to AI adoption
Despite this uptake, barriers to adoption remain. The most commonly cited challenge is a lack of understanding within the wider organisation about AI’s potential applications or benefits, selected by 31% of respondents. Additionally, 73% of IT leaders agree that user adoption is a concern, and 30% do not believe senior management understands the potential of AI.
Other barriers include data management, privacy and security (28%), lack of trust in AI (27%), employee resistance (27%), and a lack of AI skills within the organisation (27%). In fact, 40% of IT leaders say their teams do not currently have the technical skills or knowledge to implement or adopt AI. A majority (70%) believe employees expect to receive AI training and enablement.
“AI is creating a predicament for people and businesses,” says John Tallon, director of M365 Productivity and Adoption, Azure Application Innovation and Azure Data and AI Practice at Storm Technology.
“It is seen as a means of reducing workload stresses, supporting creativity, and productivity. However, there is reluctance to adopt AI, stemming from a gap in understanding and the necessary skills required.
“Businesses will need to bridge this knowledge gap to capitalise on the benefits of AI. Empowering people will drive the biggest impact across the whole business,” said Tallon.
Main image: John Tallon, Storm Technology
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