A recent survey has revealed South Africans’ biggest concerns around AI in the workplace. Image: Pixabay
Will ChatGPT cause you to lose your job?
More than half of South Africans have concerns around ChatGPT and AI in the future, as AI’s presence continues to grow across industries.
A recent survey has revealed South Africans’ biggest concerns around AI in the workplace. Image: Pixabay
When it comes to the workplace, 67% of respondents expressed concerns that AI will result in automation, job losses and job disruptions.
The biggest concern relating to the future potential impact of AI on personal lives is the over-reliance on AI and how it might undermine human intelligence and creativity.
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This is according to a publication by In On Africa (IOA), an Africa-focused research and business advisory firm that sheds light on the use of ChatGPT and future AI concerns among working South Africans.
The mixed-method research study is based on insights from 3,032 working individuals.
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“This particular research serves to shed light on AI’s real-world implications in South Africa – not just how it is currently being used by everyday South Africans, but also what their concerns are for the future,” says CEO of IOA, Jonathan Mundell.
Key data points on ChatGPT in SA
Some of the other key findings from the report include:
- 59% of working South Africans know about ChatGPT, but far fewer – just 38% – have actually used it.
- Usage is highest in the ICT/Telecom industries.
- With 44%-55% usage amongst ages 18-34, younger generations are more actively engaged with ChatGPT and are often leveraging it as a tool to improve productivity and efficiency.
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- In the workplace, ChatGPT serves as a valuable asset for enhancing writing quality (53%), supporting research efforts (43%) and content creation (42%).
- Interestingly, as much as 74% of users in the workplace reported enhanced work quality, with many attributing the positive impact to ChatGPT’s ability to increase speed and productivity.
- In South African personal lives, ChatGPT users predominantly rely on the language model to generate ideas (70%) and improve writing skills (61%).
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More than half of personal users of Chat GPT reported measurable improvements, including enhanced learning, problem-solving and time management.
The study provides further industry-specific insights around ChatGPT, offering a comprehensive understanding of the AI model and its impact across various sectors. It can be downloaded here.
