Generative artificial intelligence in the business field

Advances in generative artificial intelligence

The latest advances in generative artificial intelligence (AI) have had a significant impact on society, especially in the interaction between humans and machines. The launch of ChatGPT in November 2022 highlighted the potential of this type of application, making it clear that machines can now not only understand language and images but also generate original content that expresses concepts and ideas of their own creation.

The initial impact was so significant that, in March 2023, a group of prominent figures signed an open letter calling to "pause giant AI experiments." One of their main arguments was that "advanced AI could represent a profound change in the history of life on Earth and should be planned and managed with the appropriate care and resources." Among the signatories were Elon Musk, Steve Wozniak, and Yuval Noah Harari.

However, this pause has not been implemented. To date, countless applications have emerged that allow the generation of original texts, images, audio, and videos, created by automata trained with vast amounts of information. Among them are new versions of ChatGPT itself, Copilot, DALL-E, Midjourney, and Bard, just to name a few of the most well-known.

Expansion of generative AI in the business environment

OpenAI, the developer of ChatGPT, launched an application programming interface (API) that allows developers to integrate AI into their applications, as well as a version of its conversational bot designed for business teams.

On its part, Microsoft launched the Copilot product, integrated into its enterprise platforms 365 and Dynamics. SAP and other enterprise management products are also adopting AI in their suite of applications. As a result, the offer of generative AI for various business applications is rapidly increasing.

Impact and adoption in businesses.

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) published the results of a survey of workers and employers in the financial and manufacturing industries. The study reveals that workers in these sectors tend to be very positive about the impact of AI on their work. About 80% of AI users said that this technology had improved their job performance, compared to 8% who claimed that AI had worsened it. However, some workers expressed concerns about the impact of AI on job stability and wages.

A survey we recently conducted (published in the IEEE Engineering Management Review) explored the perspective of electrical and computer engineers on the impact of AI on their jobs. The questionnaire covered demographic information, levels of AI knowledge, preferred tools, applications used, perceived impact, and attitudes toward job replacement. The study included participants from 20 countries in the Americas.

According to this research, 79% of engineers reported having a medium or low level of knowledge of generative AI tools. However, even with these low levels of knowledge, 69% of participants confirmed having used AI tools in their work in the last six months, with a notable adoption rate of 85% among respondents under 30 years old.

In line with the OECD survey, 79% of respondents reported a positive impact on their work. Only 0.4% considered the impact on their work to be negative. However, 15% of those who responded to the survey expressed concern about job security due to AI.

"The preliminary results of another survey we conducted in three technology service organizations in Uruguay indicate that 82% of workers have medium, low, or no knowledge of generative AI, but 72% of these workers regularly use some type of these tools for their work. 82% indicated that the impact of using AI was positive for improving productivity in their work, but 16% reported that current or near-future AI applications could jeopardize their jobs.

All of these surveys present very similar results. In general, they show that there is little knowledge about how generative AI technologies work (even among technical staff). Still, there is a high adoption rate for their use at work and a very positive perception of these technologies. However, a significant percentage of people believe that their jobs may be at risk in the near future.

Current Challenges and Expectations

In November 2023, the consulting firm Gartner placed generative AI at the "peak of inflated expectations" in its classic hype cycle analysis. According to this, the arrival at the productivity plateau will be reached in 2 to 5 years.

Those of us who have been intensively using these types of applications are already beginning to feel a certain decline into the inevitable trough of disillusionment. Once the incredible impact of a machine generating original textual, visual, and audio content wears off, the final results do not always meet expectations in terms of completeness and accuracy.

However, the constant release of new features and applications, along with the natural flow of conversations, fuels the optimistic outlook and the high level of workplace adoption reported in surveys.

Corporate Policies on AI

It is important for business leaders to recognize that, even in the absence of specific policies and guidelines, their employees are very likely already using generative AI tools. These applications do not always guarantee the accuracy of the information they generate. Moreover, the security of data processed by public AI systems can be uncertain.

This scenario, combined with a generally limited understanding of how they operate, can pose significant risks for companies and organizations. It is therefore necessary to develop corporate policies that establish guidelines for the appropriate, responsible, safe, and ethical use of AI tools and to implement training programs. Awareness should be promoted regarding the proper use of these technologies and the potential issues and risks they entail.

Towards a Strategic Integration of AI in the Workplace

The general optimism about the future of AI in the workplace can be leveraged to promote these tools in companies and organizations. It is advisable to foster open communication so that employees can express their concerns about AI, particularly regarding job security and role changes.

Likewise, leaders should develop corporate policies and strategically select which AI tools to use to enhance efficiency while maintaining security and emphasizing human creativity and critical judgment.

José Joskowicz, Principal Engineer.

José is a Telecommunications Engineer from the Universidad de la República (Udelar) and holds a PhD in Telematics Engineering from the University of Vigo, Spain. He has an international certification as a Project Management Professional (PMP) granted by the Project Management Institute (PMI). He is an Associate Professor (Grade 4) at the Faculty of Engineering of Udelar, a lecturer at the University of Montevideo, and a member of the National Research System.