Scottish employers sceptical of generative AI, labour report reveals

Scottish employers sceptical of generative AI, labour report reveals

More than a third of Scottish employers are sceptical about generative artificial intelligence (AI), according to the latest Labour Market Outlook.   

The report carried out by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) revealed that 10 per cent of Scottish companies had already banned employees from using the technology, with only 20 per cent of those surveyed believing it had no potential drawbacks. 

Marek Zemanik, senior public policy adviser for Scotland and Northern Ireland at the CIPD said: “Generative AI is here and is already changing the world of work, but our research shows a lot of Scottish employers are still hesitant to introduce it. Indeed, many may not even be aware that their employees are using it.”   

Other findings showed less than half of Scottish organisations have policies for generative AI or plan to introduce them.   

However, two in five Scottish employers believed generative AI could enhance productivity and efficiency, with more than a third stating it could also cut costs and improve decision-making. 

“Organisations need to embrace the opportunities of AI while understanding the risks. This will ensure responsible and ethical use and understanding of potential impacts on workforces, jobs and skills. 

“Employers who are not proactive will soon find themselves outpaced by developments as this technology will continue to progress and reach into new areas of our working lives,” Zemanik added.  

The analysis also showed that UK-wide around the same amount of organisations thought the technology could either decrease or increase the number of full-time roles. 

Only 5 per cent of the 2,000 British organisations surveyed were Scottish.  

The news follows the University of Edinburgh’s announcement of their new generative AI lab, where researchers will investigate how the technology can help areas including the health sector and the fight against climate change.