A survey by Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism and the University of Oxford shows that very few people regularly use “much-hyped” artificial intelligence products like ChatGPT. This does not surprise me. My “unofficial” survey of audiences over the last 12 months shows that between 2% and 5% of business leaders use Generative AI products daily. Watch the short video below, in which I demonstrate this.
Researchers surveyed 12,000 people in six countries, including the UK, with only 2% of British respondents saying they use such tools on a daily basis.
But the study says young people are bucking the trend, with 18 to 24-year-olds the most eager adopters of the tech.
Dr Richard Fletcher, the report’s lead author said there was a “mismatch” between the “hype” around AI and the “public interest” in it.
Like any new and career-altering technology, Generative AI has received a lot of hype, so why aren’t people using it every day?
I’ve seen this happen over and over again in my 30+ years working in technology. I was the first of my friends to have a mobile phone in 1994, and many followed suit only after they saw the increased benefits of having a mobile.
The adoption of the internet and a professional web presence also took time for many people until they could see others deriving real benefits from the technology. So, we know how the story ends in each of these cases. My role as a futurist and technology adviser is to help my clients stay ahead of the competition, so if you’re reading this and would classify yourself as “digitally curious”, then set aside 30 minutes a week to try out these new GenAI tools.
I’ve added this advice to my new book, and I’ll repeat it here: Task your new GenAI “always-on intern” with tasks that you don’t have time to do, such as grabbing insights from a report, meeting notes, or briefing document. When you see this technology’s utility firsthand, you’re likely to have your own “a-ha!” moment and devise a way to integrate these tools into your everyday workflow.
You can access the full study here.
