In a study conducted by Salesforce, more than 39% of Spaniards believe that mastering generative artificial intelligence (AI) will help them get a promotion at work. However, the report also warns that the lack of clearly defined policies around the use of this technology may be putting companies at risk.
The study reveals that 61% of Spanish workers have used generative AI tools that are not formally approved by their company, and up to 33% have used them despite being expressly prohibited. Many of these employees turn to the new technology without any training, guidance, or approval from their company.
The report titled “The Promises and Difficulties of Generative AI at Work” includes the opinions of over 14,000 workers from fourteen countries, including Spain. The study points out that company policies and training around generative AI are not clearly defined or, at best, ambiguous. Despite this, workers recognize the importance of this technology in advancing their careers, with 74% of those who use it saying it makes them more productive.
However, this lack of training and defined policies has led users to perform ethically questionable activities at work when using generative AI such as passing off AI work as their own or inflating their skills. Moreover, the report reveals that 86% of Spanish workers believe there are barriers to using generative AI at work.
The report emphasizes the need for companies to invest in safe, ethical and reliable generative AI tools and to train their employees on the safe and ethical use of AI. It concludes that it is not a question of whether companies apply generative AI but how they do it effectively, safely and ethically.
