French employees are less optimistic than others about the benefits of artificial intelligence (AI) at work and less concerned about its negative consequences on employment, according to a study published Thursday by the firm PwC.
When asked about the short-term (5 years) positive effects of AI in a professional context, only 19% of around 2,000 French respondents believe it will improve their productivity. This percentage rises to 31% when asking the entire global sample surveyed by PwC (almost 54,000 workers).
One in ten French people fear being replaced
17% of French employees expect AI to teach them new skills (compared to 27% globally), and 14% expect it to create new career opportunities for them (compared to 21%).
Apart from employees in the technology, media and telecommunications sector, who are much more enthusiastic, the French are “more measured in their perception” of the “positive aspects that AI can bring to their jobs,” he notes. PwC.
But at the same time, they see AI as less of a threat to their jobs. Only 9% fear being replaced by AI in their jobs (and even 5% in the public sector), compared to 13% of employees worldwide.
Another sign of lesser concern, 12% of French respondents expect AI to change the nature of their work in negative ways, two points less than in the rest of the world (14%).
No effect expected for a quarter of employees
Significantly, more than one in four French employees (27%, compared to 22% globally) do not anticipate any effect of AI at work in the next five years.
In mid-June, a survey by the BVA institute for Pôle emploi revealed even more marked caution among French employers, with 57% of them admitting to not using AI and not intending to.
In terms of climate policy, another hot topic, PwC finds that French employees are more critical than others. 35% of French workers feel that their company is not doing enough to tackle climate change, compared to 28% globally.
The study was conducted online from April 3 to 17, 2023 with 53,912 employees from the public and private sectors, including 2,142 French workers. It was carried out in 46 countries, mainly located in Western Europe and Asia-Pacific.
Source: BFM TV
