Australian workers are using AI tools to save time, but the practice may put business data at risk. A study by software firm Freshworks found that most Australian workers use AI tools in the workplace, half saving at least three hours a week.
However, many employees are trying artificial intelligence software without approval from their employers, raising privacy and security concerns.
The study surveyed more than 7000 employees, including 358 Australian office workers, on their use of artificial intelligence software for the global ROI of AI study.
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It was found that more than two in three local employees used AI tools at least once a week, which is more than US and UK workers. Half of the surveyed Australian workers reported saving at least three hours per week by using AI software.
Additionally, the research found that almost half of Australian workers were using unpaid AI tools such as ChatGPT to boost their productivity, despite the risk that sensitive business data could be used to train large language models or be shared widely.
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Freshworks senior vice-president Sandie Overtveld expressed surprise at the popularity of AI tools among Australian workers, attributing it to businesses failing to set clear AI policies and standards quickly.
“If you don’t make the decision as a company, employees will make the decision for you and that might not be the decision that you want,” he said. “Many companies would be surprised to find their conservative stalling is having employees use free tools that might be causing them more harm than good.”
The study also revealed that Australian workers were less enthusiastic about the quality of content produced by generative AI. Freshworks Australia and New Zealand vice-president Andrew Phillips noted that this could indicate a need for greater employer guidance and training.
“Rules around which tools they can use and which tools they can’t help employees get the benefits of generative AI without getting the company into trouble,” he said. “Training and policies always play catch-up with new technologies.”
Australia currently lacks regulations specifically targeting the use of generative AI technology. However, the government appointed 12 experts to a national advisory body in February.
The Artificial Intelligence Expert Group, appointed until June 30, was tasked with creating mandatory rules for the use of AI in high-risk settings, as well as standards for watermarking AI-generated content.
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The findings highlight the rapid adoption of AI tools by Australian workers and the significant time-saving benefits they offer.
However, they also underscore the urgent need for companies to establish robust AI usage policies and for regulatory bodies to implement standards to ensure the safe and effective use of AI in the workplace.
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