Tag: job availability

Small businesses embrace generative AI tools

According to a recent report by FreshBooks, the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on organizations continues to grow, with 25% of small businesses currently utilizing or testing generative AI tools. Encouragingly, two-thirds of these businesses plan to explore these tools for their work within the next 12 months. The report surveyed 1,000 small-business owners from diverse industries in the United States and Canada during May.

The findings suggest that small-business owners are not overly concerned about AI replacing their roles, as only 44% of respondents anticipated hiring fewer people in the future due to the capabilities of AI. Mara Reiff, Chief Data Officer at FreshBooks, explained, “Anxiety over AI has been growing lately, with workers in certain industries expressing concerns that their jobs will be replaced. In the world of small business, it appears that owners don’t feel particularly threatened and don’t believe artificial intelligence can do their jobs just as well as they can. On the other hand, their eyes are wide open to the potential of using AI as a support to help them scale.”

The survey revealed that the majority of current generative AI adopters are employing it for text generation purposes, while others are leveraging its abilities to create images or conduct general business research. Most respondents reported using AI-generated content on their business websites and social media platforms. However, fewer participants stated that they utilize generative AI content for customer support and communications.

Regarding the impact of AI on their businesses, 60% of respondents believed that AI would bring about significant changes within the next five years. The areas expected to be most affected include business analytics, sales and marketing, and customer communications, according to the report. On the other hand, respondents rated human resources, recruiting, and service delivery as the areas least likely to be impacted by AI.

Despite the growing adoption of AI, privacy, ethical concerns, and intellectual property issues were significant points of worry for 80% of small-business owners. This demonstrates a recognition of the potential risks associated with AI implementation.

Overall, the FreshBooks report highlights the growing acceptance and optimism surrounding the use of generative AI tools among small businesses. As these businesses explore AI’s potential to support their growth, they remain mindful of the ethical and privacy considerations associated with this technology.

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Concerns were raised before Congress on how AI will impact job availability

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman appealed to Congress to regulate artificial intelligence (AI) during his testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee. Altman, along with two other AI experts, emphasized the need for governance of AI at both federal and global levels. They expressed concerns about the potential dangers of unregulated AI and called for measures to avoid significant harm.

Altman compared the impact of AI to the printing press and urged collaboration to ensure positive outcomes. Professor Gary Marcus suggested the establishment of an oversight agency similar to the Food and Drug Administration, requiring AI creators to prove safety and justify the benefits. However, some senators expressed skepticism, likening AI’s potential impact to the atomic bomb.

During the nearly three-hour session, various concerns were raised, including the impact on job availability, potential manipulation of public opinion, and the need to regulate AI in high-risk areas such as elections. Altman acknowledged the risks of AI and emphasized the importance of preventing harm to society.

The senators acknowledged the need to learn from past mistakes regarding data privacy and misinformation on social media platforms. They expressed their determination to address AI-related challenges before they become significant threats.

During the hearing, senators raised concerns about compensation for artists whose work is used to train AI models, language inclusivity, protection for local news agencies, the impact of AI on military drones, and safeguarding children’s use of AI tools. Altman and the other experts expressed willingness to continue collaborating with the government to find solutions.

Jeremy Rafuse, Vice President & Head of Digital Workplace at GoTo commented: “The topic of AI is dominating the news agenda. With the exponential rise of AI engines, public figures are calling for officials to ‘regulate before it’s too late’ over growing AI anxiety – will I be replaced by a robot?

“But we’re missing something here when questioning AI: the human touch.

“Humans have the innate ability to question when things aren’t quite right, taking active leadership in the way that their systems operate. Human support can offer empathy and emotional support to users who are frustrated, helping to build a stronger connection between users and the IT support team. It is only alongside human expertise that AI and advanced machine learning can run effectively. Human support staff can provide guidance and expertise to AI systems to help them better understand and respond to requests. By training AI systems and incorporating human feedback, AI can improve its accuracy and responsiveness over time. This will bolster business IT capacities by reducing downtime and operating more efficiently.”

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