45% of Singapore workers fear admitting to AI use

Nearly half of employees in Singapore feel uncomfortable admitting to their managers that they use artificial intelligence (AI) in their jobs, a survey has found.

The top concerns among these workers include the fear of being perceived as incompetent, lazy, or cheating, The Independent Singapore reported, citing AI-powered work management tool Slack’s Workforce Index report, which in August surveyed more than 17,000 workers across 15 countries, 1,008 of which are from Singapore.

The report noted that workers, lacking clear guidance, are uncertain about when it is appropriate to use AI at work, leading many to hide their usage.

Hence, employers should establish clear guidelines on which AI tools are considered “approved and trusted” for use in their organizations, as well as the specific tasks these tools are intended for, Christina Janzer, senior vice president of research and analytics at Slack.

Too much of the burden today has been put on workers to figure out AI. It is important that leaders not only train workers to use AI, but encourage employees to talk about it and experiment with AI out in the open,” she said.

Despite their concerns, 88% of employees in Singapore are keen to develop their AI skills and feel a pressing need to become experts in the field. However, 63% of them have spent fewer than five hours total learning how to use AI.

Workers in the city-state are also prioritizing AI-enabled workplaces, with 87% viewing a company’s ability to provide and implement AI tools as a key consideration when searching for jobs.

As a result, employers there must invest in AI training to attract and retain top talent.

Globally, 30% of workers worldwide have not received any AI training, including self-guided learning or experimentation, according to Slack.

Among those who did receive guidance on AI usage, adoption has increased by 13% since January, compared to just 2% for those without such training.