Artificial intelligence: is technology moving too fast for organisations?

Artificial intelligence (AI) technology isn’t new – it’s been in development since the 1950s, but it certainly feels very new to many people in 2024. Why? Well, for the first time, these tools are readily available to the “average Joe” from the comfort of their laptops, tablets and mobile phones, and the possibilities and potential – in theory – are endless.

AI technology has the ability to help us become more efficient, productive and creative when used properly, which could mean huge time and cost-savings for businesses, and allow employees to focus their attention on more urgent priorities. The appetite for upskilling, according to our research of almost 11,000 workers and bosses, is definitely there, but there’s a huge discrepancy between what’s actually being offered and utilised.

So, what’s happening right now with artificial intelligence in the workplace, and what needs to change? Let’s explore.

What are the implications of using AI in the workplace?

Research shows that AI tools can automate a lot of day-to-day tasks for many professionals, whether that’s constructing emails or presentation decks, analysing data, or generating images. According to the Hays Salary & Recruiting Trends Guide 2025, workers can also see the positives, with 49% saying they believe the primary benefit of AI is increased productivity and efficiency, two in five (40%) saying it would be creativity and idea generation, and 37% citing the support it provides in data analysis. Employers agreed with these sentiments above, with 58% saying it would likely increase productivity and efficiency, 40% saying it would improve creativity and idea generation, and 37% believing it would help data analysis.

Despite this, 9% of organisations report that their organisation has banned the use of AI tools in their workplaces, 21% say they expect it will be prohibited soon, and 63% say they will only allow it if it is monitored. Out of the organisations who won’t be using AI, 27% reported that this was due to ethical and legal concerns, 25% said it was due to privacy concerns, and 24% said it was due to security risks.

When it comes to the 91% of businesses who are willing to adopt AI, just 7% of firms say they fully have access to the right skills to enable them to make the best use of AI tools and technology.

Is there a disconnect between workers and bosses when it comes to AI at work?

According to our study, almost a quarter (24%) of workers are now using AI tools as part of their jobs, which represents an increase of six percentage points on last year. Of those not using it, almost a third (32%) said it was due to a lack of understanding, support or training, and a further 27% said they didn’t see the benefits of it.

Interestingly, 39% of employers we spoke to said they do recommend the use of AI technologies in the workplace, and 37% say they offer training and support to their staff. However, with such a high proportion of employees saying they don’t feel as though they have received adequate upskilling assistance (87%), it’s clear that technology is advancing faster than the learning and development opportunities currently being offered to staff.

This narrative is supported by the proportion of professionals (74%) who said they’d be willing to take part in upskilling or reskilling programmes to be able to adopt AI technologies at work, and the 31% who said they’ve identified AI tools or programmes that could help them succeed in their jobs.

What are the attitudes towards AI and work in general?

When artificial intelligence first became available to the masses in 2023, many expressed concerns that this technology could replace the jobs of humans, or – at the very least – disrupt the world of work enough to drastically change the professional landscape. While this has, thankfully, not happened en masse, many are still wary about the impact AI could have.

From a staffing point of view, 12% of employers say there are jobs in their organisation that could be replaced by AI, and 41% of employees are concerned about the potential risks to future employment opportunities due to the advancement of this technology. In fact, 15% of workers report that they are planning to change their profession or field of expertise by the end of 2025 in direct response to AI developments.

How is AI being used in recruitment?

Artificial intelligence could revolutionise the way in which organisations hire and manage talent. The technology can help to evaluate job applications by screening CVs and cover letters and has the potential to discover higher-quality candidates, because it can automate a lot of administrative jobs, allowing recruitment consultants to focus on higher-value tasks. Today, AI is shaping HR technology with AI-powered tools designed to create a solution that replicates human decision-making, but at a significantly faster rate.

• Enhance the candidate experience with more personalised communications.
• Speed up hiring, with improved candidate-client matching capabilities.
• Match and process large numbers of submissions to a specific client's needs.

Here at Hays, we’re deploying AI to help us give our customers a better experience, specifically though Managed Service Programmes (MSP). MSPs refers to volume-hiring for contractors. If you’re from an organisation looking to hire multiple people, we could be exactly what you need to make the process as smooth as possible. With these programmes, we advertise your job vacancies, take care of the interview process, look after the onboarding and even manage payroll. Learn more about how we can help by checking out our MSP FAQs.

How is AI affecting your industry?

To gain a deeper insight into how artificial intelligence is impacting the world of work, sign up to your local Salary & Recruiting Trends Guide 2025 launch event, where we'll be delving into this topic (and many more) in depth.