Australian workers are optimistic about artificial intelligence adoption and the impact it will have in the workplace, according to a new report from the Tech Council of Australia (TCA).
Future Ready: Australians and AI Workplace Tech found 93% of Australian workers believe AI will impact jobs by augmenting them, not replacing them, with 72% reporting technology has had a positive or very positive impact on their lives over the past decade.
When it comes to the worries of the Australian workforce, cost of living, inflation, healthcare and housing top the list of concerns, with the impact of emerging technologies ranking significantly lower, according to the report.
It also found that AI is already being used widely, with 84% of the respondents in office jobs reporting that they use AI at work.
Findings contrast with union's view
The idea that workers are positive about the role AI is playing in the workplace is in contrast to those put forward by a number of unions recently, most notably the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU).
The ACTU said last month that it will seek tougher regulations to guide the future roll-out of AI in workplaces, issuing a statement that it will pursue a pro-job, pro-worker agenda in the adoption of AI to ensure that it is safe and deployed in a way that gives workers a "stake in the gains" while also being transparent and fair.
The statement was part of unions more broadly calling for a new set of mandatory enforceable agreements that would compel employers to consult with their staff before new AI technologies can be introduced into workplaces.
The measures require employers to reach AI Implementation Agreements with their workforce, including guarantees around job security, skills development and retraining, transparency over technology use, genuine privacy and data collection and use protections.
The union also stated that the enforceable AI Implementation Agreements would need the backing of a new National AI Authority and a national Artificial Intelligence Act to ensure laws keep pace with the “massive technological changes” workers already face in every sector and industry, with a regulator resourced to support them.
A survey by the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance (MEAA) of more than 700 workers – including actors, crew members, musicians, and journalists – also revealed high levels of concern about AI, with 93% agreeing that greater government intervention was necessary to regulate AI.
Together - a union that counts over 30,000 members in the Queensland public service among its members - also unveiled its new campaign recently, placing worker empowerment at the centre of Queensland’s upcoming public sector bargaining rounds and ensuring AI becomes a tool for improving - not undermining - workplace wellbeing.
As bargaining begins this September, the union is advocating for clear and enforceable principles that guide how AI is introduced and used in white-collar and administrative roles.
A key opportunity to "accelerate AI adoption"
TCA CEO Damian Kassabgi said the report highlighted a key opportunity for Australian organisations to accelerate AI adoption.
“There is a willingness from the workforce to engage and augment their jobs with AI,” he said.
“That’s not to say there is zero concern; the main concerns raised by Australians on adopting new technologies relate to privacy, training and being involved in future decision making. But it’s positive to see that overall, Australians are optimistic and open minded.”
Mr Kassabgi said accelerating AI adoption requires appropriate regulatory and legislative settings, noting that lifting productivity, strengthening economic resilience and ensuring economic sustainability are all underpinned by embracing technology.
“Our research found 49% of Australian workers do not think government officials understand technology well enough to regulate it effectively. This perception needs to shift and that means government must lead by example,” he said.
“That’s why the TCA continues to call for fit-for-purpose, interoperable and risk-based regulatory frameworks that facilitate domestic AI investment, talent and innovation.
“A clear, flexible and interoperable regulatory framework will give developers and organisations the confidence to invest in AI for the future, so Australia is not just a net consumer of AI, but a world leader.”
The report was conducted in collaboration with Datacom, Salesforce and King River, and presents the results of a survey of 2,552 Australian workers drawn from a representative sample across the nation and was fielded by Qualtrics.
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