Recent comprehensive surveys conducted between March and October this year have revealed concerning trends regarding the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the workplace.
The surveys, conducted by Legal Island, which encompassed a total of 500 HR respondents from various organisations across the island of Ireland, found that a startling 95% of these establishments have still to implement an active AI Use Policy in the workplace.
Mr. Barry Phillips, Chairman of Legal Island, and a former practising employment law barrister, expressed his concerns over these findings, stating: “These results are alarming. It suggests there’s something of a Wild West going on at the moment in the workplace, reminiscent of the early days of the internet’s introduction at work in the 90s. Employers back then chose to regulate its use only when it became clear employees were misusing email and the web, and when companies started facing penalties from regulators due to data breaches.”
The lack of an AI Use Policy can expose organisations to reputational risks as well as unnecessary legal liability. The findings signal a pressing need for businesses to develop and enforce clear AI policies, ensuring safe and responsible use in the workplace.
Phillips added: “Employers need to be proactive and set about determining how AI is to be used at work, and within what parameters. It’s a complicated task when AI is evolving so quickly but those who choose to do nothing, preferring to watch from the sidelines, could end up in serious difficulties when they have no rules or practice guidelines to point to when something goes wrong.”
On Wednesday November 29, Legal Island will host a full day review of employment law topics, with a keynote session on regulating the use of AI at work. This will include a template AI use policy, as well as expert advice on how to mitigate the risks of AI at work, whilst maximising the benefits. The event, Annual Review of Employment Law, will be held simultaneously online and in person at the Dublin Convention Centre.
Legal Island is a multi-award-winning workplace compliance company, founded in 1998, working across both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. Legal Island helps HR professionals understand employment law and how it applies to their workplace.
For further information, or to register for the event on 29th November, visit www.legal-island.ie/events.
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