As artificial intelligence tools like ChatGPT become more prevalent in the workplace, an increasing number of American employees are beginning to use these technologies frequently. According to a survey by the St. Louis Federal Reserve Bank, nearly a quarter of American workers use generative AI weekly, with that number reaching 50% in the software and finance industries.
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However, the survey indicates that as of September, less than half of companies have established clear rules for AI usage, leading many employees to privately experiment with these new technologies without explicit guidance.
In response to this phenomenon, many large corporations initially adopted a blanket ban, with companies like Apple, Samsung, and Goldman Sachs prohibiting employees from using ChatGPT primarily due to data security concerns. However, over time, more companies have begun to shift towards controlled usage. For example, U.S. retail giant Walmart has developed its own internal AI assistant and monitors employees' use of external AI tools on company devices. Jerry Geisler, Walmart's Chief Information Security Officer, stated, "We initially adopted a 'lockdown' strategy, but we do not want to maintain that indefinitely."
Meanwhile, employees' attitudes towards using AI are relatively cautious. According to a Slack survey, nearly half of office workers are reluctant to disclose their use of AI tools to their supervisors, fearing they may be perceived as lazy or incompetent, or even face the risk of layoffs. A 27-year-old pharmaceutical researcher anonymously shared his experience of secretly using ChatGPT for programming tasks due to a lack of clear usage guidelines. Although he felt there was nothing wrong with it, he still felt uneasy.
Additionally, the uncertainty of the legal environment poses challenges for companies in formulating long-term AI strategies. Currently, the U.S., EU, and UK are drafting related legislation, particularly the EU's AI Act, which imposes several requirements on businesses regarding AI usage. However, many issues concerning intellectual property, data protection, and transparency remain unresolved.
Key Points:
📝 Nearly a quarter of American employees use generative AI weekly, but less than half of companies have clear policies.
🛑 Initially, companies implemented a total ban, but are gradually shifting to controlled use, with Walmart and others developing internal AI assistants.
🤐 Almost half of employees are unwilling to inform their supervisors about using AI, and the unclear legal environment adds to the difficulty for companies in developing policies.
