Acas survey highlights employees’ AI fears

With the usage of synthetic intelligence (AI) quick changing into an necessary a part of day-to-day life, hypothesis is ever rising as to the influence it’ll have on employees and employers alike. While many employers and people look to make use of AI to extend effectivity and enhance providers, others concern for the repercussions it might have. The outcomes of a current Acas research spotlight the fears of some employees.

Background

AI is an umbrella time period encompassing completely different types of know-how that are designed to imitate the cognitive talents of people, permitting computer systems to course of data, adapt via expertise and execute advanced reasoning duties. Not like conventional software program with fastened directions, AI techniques can analyse patterns, make choices based mostly on information and constantly enhance their efficiency via machine-learning algorithms. Using AI has grown considerably over the previous 5 years as generative AI (a selected AI know-how that allows new content material to be created in response to consumer questions and prompts) has turn into broadly accessible.

Based on information commissioned by the federal government, round 15% of all UK companies used AI know-how in 2022. Extra casual analysis revealed since then signifies that this proportion has nearly actually elevated.

Using AI within the office can range, from recruitment and efficiency administration to the automation of employees’ roles. Consequently, employers are more and more seeking to implement these applied sciences to reinforce operational effectivity. In opposition to this backdrop, a survey commissioned by Acas sought to grasp the issues of employees relating to the usage of AI of their workplaces.

Acas survey

The headline from the survey outcomes launched by Acas is that 26% of the 1,023 workers surveyed concern that AI will result in the lack of jobs. Exterior the survey, opinion on how nicely based this concern is varies, with the UN warning of the “precarious contingent work preparations” the know-how could create, whereas, in distinction, the Tony Blair Institute for International Change predicts that any unemployment brought on by AI will likely be offset by the brand new job roles it creates.

Along with employees’ worries over job losses, 17% of respondents had been additionally involved in regards to the potential lack of accuracy within the outcomes produced by AI, whereas 15% had been dissatisfied with a scarcity of regulation on this space. The tempo at which AI has developed has made it tough for regulation to maintain up, though the current EU AI Act, which got here into pressure on 1 August 2024, marks the primary formal regulation on this difficulty and we could anticipate to see different jurisdictions observe go well with. Within the UK, the federal government has introduced plans to introduce laws to manage the usage of AI. There was mounting stress to introduce AI laws, together with the re-introduction of a Personal Members’ Invoice, the Synthetic Intelligence (Regulation) Invoice, which proposes the introduction of an unbiased AI regulator.

Different points raised within the survey outcomes included information safety issues and environmental influence.

Whereas the survey did spotlight the various and important issues of employees, not all responses had been destructive, with slightly below 17% of respondents expressing no issues with AI.

What can employers do?

In response to the outcomes of the survey, Acas has issued some casual steering for employers looking for to implement the usage of AI inside their organisations whereas navigating the issues of workers. This consists of:

• creating clear insurance policies to control the usage of AI within the office;
• consulting with workers when introducing AI insurance policies, significantly the place the usage of AI could necessitate a variation within the phrases of the employment contract;
• reassuring workers with issues that AI could result in the lack of jobs;
• casting a human eye over AI outputs to test accuracy, tone and bias;
• coaching workers on how to make sure AI produces correct outputs; and
• making certain that the Basic Information Safety Rules are borne in thoughts when utilising AI.

Employers may also need to make sure that they’re holding updated with the newest regulatory updates to stay compliant. The EU AI Act, for instance, applies to any employers utilizing AI throughout the EU market and categorises the usage of AI in employment as “excessive threat”, which means that further regulatory necessities are in place for its use. For additional data on this, please see our earlier article on this matter. Within the UK, the federal government’s AI Motion Plan, revealed in January 2025, outlines plans to introduce regulation which employers will want to pay attention to as soon as it’s launched.

As AI continues to reshape the office, employers who proactively deal with worker issues via clear insurance policies, significant session and regulatory compliance will likely be finest positioned to harness its advantages whereas sustaining workforce belief and engagement. Please attain out to your traditional Dentons contact when you require help or steering.