While workers feel most comfortable when AI and humans work together, they are beginning to trust AI to complete time-saving tasks autonomously, like writing code, uncovering data insights and drafting written communications, according to the survey. 

Workers aren't delegating everything to AI just yet. According to the research, today's workers prefer that humans oversee tasks like onboarding, training and data security. The data also suggests that investing in knowledge and education builds trust in an autonomous AI future.

As technology advances, people are getting a glimpse into a future in which AI can operate entirely on its own. The Salesforce research revealed that workers are excited about an AI-powered future. Additionally, participants also stressed the importance of a human touch as they build trust, knowledge and experience with AI tools.

Global Workers are Already Offloading Tasks to AI

Workers today trust AI to do roughly 43% of their work tasks, indicating a shift among workers to offload tasks to AI. The survey shows that leaders trust AI to do more of their work than employees do — leaders trust AI to do 51% of their work, while rank-and-file workers trust AI to do 40%.

According to the research, 77% of global workers will eventually trust AI to operate autonomously. 

  • Ten percent of global workers trust AI to operate autonomously today.
  • Twenty-six percent of global workers will trust AI to operate autonomously in less than three years.
  • Forty-one percent of global workers will trust AI to operate autonomously in three or more years.

Workers are Starting to Trust AI to Handle Certain Tasks Alone

Today, 54% of global workers trust humans and AI to do most work tasks together, according to the research. When asked if these workers trusted AI to do any of these same tasks autonomously, the answer, for a small group, was some.

  • Fifteen percent trust AI to write code autonomously.
  • Thirteen percent trust AI to uncover data insights on its own.
  • Twelve percent trust AI to develop internal and external communications without a human.
  • Twelve percent trust autonomous AI to act as their personal assistant. 

According to respondents, other tasks require having a human involved.

  • Forty-seven percent trust humans alone to be inclusive.
  • Forty-six percent trust humans alone to onboard and train employees.
  • Forty percent trust humans alone to keep data safe.

Human Involvement and Enablement Can Pave the Way to an Autonomous AI Future

The Salesforce research shows human involvement is needed to build trust in AI. Sixty-three percent of global workers say more human involvement would build their trust in AI.

Concerns about AI may come from a lack of understanding. According to the survey, 54% of global workers say they do not know how AI is implemented or governed in their workplace.

The research shows that workers who are knowledgeable about how AI is implemented and governed in their workplace are five times more likely to say they will trust AI to operate autonomously within the next two years than those who are not knowledgeable.

The AI Knowledge Gender Gap

The survey shows that males are 94% more likely to say they are knowledgeable about how AI is implemented and governed in their workplace compared to females.

Training May Be Another Key to Trusted Autonomy

Sixty-two percent of workers say more skill-building and training opportunities would build their trust in AI, according to the research. 

"Workers are excited about an AI-powered future and the research shows us that human engagement can help us get there. By empowering humans at the helm of today's AI systems, we can build trust and drive adoption — enabling workers to unlock all that AI has to offer," concludes Linda Saunders, Salesforce director at Solutions Engineering Africa.

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*Image courtesy of Canva