Effective employee engagement can help harness power of AI - Dave McCallum

Business leaders find themselves at a pivotal moment, as they navigate how best to harness AI to enhance employee experience, productivity and creativity.

​There is a generational divide in the use of generative AI in the workplace (Picture: stock/adobe.com)

The scope for leveraging the power of AI is extensive – but it does not come without risks. Business leaders must recognise why improving skills and facilitating the exploration of new tools safely, whilst bridging the generational divide, must play a pivotal role in harnessing its power.

A recent Accenture study highlighted how Scottish workers are incorporating generative AI into their daily routines, with over four in ten Scottish workers surveyed using generative AI tools at least once per week, marking a transformative shift in how they approach tasks. 95 per cent of those who use AI tools at work said they found them useful, and 63 per cent reported a boost in job satisfaction. This is great news for businesses – an increase in job satisfaction could in turn lead to improved productivity and higher profits.

But the journey to a perfect co-pilot relationship with AI will not always be a smooth or simple one. This topic was a key point of the discussion Accenture took part in during the Global Data Summit in Edinburgh, looking at the biggest questions humanity faces today – how AI promised to foster human creativity, create culture-shifting content, and become an indispensable tool in the arsenal for problem solvers and innovators. Whilst many businesses are clearly experimenting with the technology, some are now finding it challenging to scale ideas into valuable offerings and services. The technology itself is only one part of the equation, with people being an equally important factor in harnessing its power.

Dave McCallum – Data & AI Financial Services Lead, Accenture Scotland

Generative AI has captured imaginations because it appears human-like and is therefore more intuitive and accessible. Nonetheless, there is still a significant generational gap when it comes to experimenting with new tools. Almost two thirds of Gen Z workers (18-24-year-olds) are using AI technology at least once per week, compared with just 22 per cent of those aged 55 and over. Education and training also see a generational divide – over half of Gen Z workers have received training on generative AI, versus only 17 per cent of those aged over 55.

While younger generations, particularly Gen Z, are quick to embrace and integrate AI into their daily routines, they may be too trusting of the highly articulate outputs you see from tools like ChatGPT. This could impact the critical thinking skills required to analyse or challenge results. This is why the relationship with older and more experienced colleagues is so important from a learning perspective. Encouraging a harmonious collaboration between the tech-savvy younger workforce and seasoned professionals will enable workplaces to benefit from the best of both worlds.

As AI takes on routine and repetitive tasks, workers can redirect their focus toward more complex and creative aspects of their roles. This allows professionals to leverage their skills and expertise in areas that truly add value to their organisations and the wider economy.

The benefits of AI are there for the taking, but business leaders have a crucial role in ensuring it is deployed strategically, fostering an environment where all employees can flourish. While individual employee use is an important starting point, organisation-wide implementation and consistent training in generative AI must follow to extract real value. Technologists are creating powerful AI tools that could transform organisations, but it’s up to business leaders to be agile and ready to embrace them in a way that will benefit their employees, customers and organisation.

Dave McCallum – Data & AI Financial Services Lead, Accenture Scotland