Most Australians believe artificial intelligence (AI) will allow them to do their jobs better, not replace them.
A new survey from the Tech Council of Australia (TCA) found 93 percent of Australian workers believed AI would impact jobs by augmenting them.
TCA CEO Damian Kassabgi said most workers believed technology had improved their working lives, with 72 percent reporting tech had had a positive or very positive impact on their lives over the past decade.
“Despite economic headwinds and geopolitical flux, the report found that across all age groups, workers are positive about improving their working life over the next 5-10 years,” Mr Kassabgi said.
“This optimism was most marked among younger respondents and showed younger male workers are the most optimistic and the biggest advocates of AI and emerging technology,” he said.
“When it came to the worries of the Australian workforce, cost of living, inflation, healthcare and housing tops the list of concerns, with the impact of emerging technologies ranking significantly lower.”
Mr Kassabgi said AI was already being used widely, with 84 percent of Australians in office jobs reporting they used AI at work.
“There is a willingness from the workforce to engage and augment their jobs with AI,” he said.
“That’s not to say there is zero concern, the main concerns raised by Australians on adopting new technologies relate to privacy, training and being involved in future decision making. But it’s positive to see that overall, Australians are optimistic and open minded.”
Mr Kassabgi said accelerating AI adoption required appropriate regulatory and legislative settings, noting that lifting productivity, strengthening economic resilience and ensuring economic sustainability were all underpinned by embracing technology.
“Our research found 49 percent of Australian workers do not think government officials understand technology well enough to regulate it effectively. This perception needs to shift and that means government must lead by example,” he said.
