IT service provider Electric surveyed 1,000 people to find out where they get their IT advice. A whopping 66% of respondents said they went to ChatGPT for help with their IT problems, according to the study. GenZ is the generation most likely to seek IT advise from ChatGPT at 83%, followed by Millennials at 67%. GenX and Baby Boomers didn’t trail too far behind at 50% and 48%.
They also looked at the accuracy of these results, and as you might guess, it varies – but outperformed TikTok.
In other sentiment data, Pew Research looked at the impact on jobs overall. 62% think it will impact workers generally, but only 28% believe it will impact them personally. About half think it will have no impact or it will be minor. The significant insight is that Americans oppose AI use in making final hiring decisions by a 71%-7% margin, and a majority also oppose AI analysis in making firing decisions. Pluralities oppose AI use in reviewing job applications and determining whether a worker should be promoted. Beyond that, majorities do not support the idea of AI systems being used to track workers’ movements while they are at work or keeping track of when office workers are at their desks.
Why do we care?
It shouldn’t shock anyone that customers are trying out generative AI tools for solutions. This also shouldn’t frighten anyone either. Basic support services have trended to commodity for a long time, and specific business advice is of higher value.
And we can see that value in the sentiment. Humans don’t want AI making decisions about hiring and firing, and there will be a list of similar roles that humans need to continue to be the decision-makers. Supplemented by additional information, but not replaced. And it’s that way of thinking that will be powerful.
