A new survey by ABBYY, a leader in intelligent automation, reveals a fascinating paradox in artificial intelligence (AI) adoption. While a staggering 63% of global IT leaders fear their companies will be left behind if they don’t embrace AI (FOMO), concerns about trust and ethical use remain prevalent.
The survey, encompassing 1,200 IT decision makers across the US, UK, France, Germany, Singapore, and Australia, paints a picture of rapid AI investment fueled by FOMO. Despite cost concerns (33%), a significant majority (96%) plan to increase AI spending in the next year, with an average investment of $879,000 reported in the past year. However, Gartner predicts a potential slowdown by 2025, hinting at a possible future where costs outweigh value.
Interestingly, customer pressure also plays a significant role, with over half (55%) of business leaders citing it as a key driver for AI adoption.
But trust remains a hurdle. Surprisingly, the top fear for IT leaders implementing AI is misuse by their own staff (35%), followed by concerns about AI “hallucinations” (inaccurate outputs) and lack of expertise (both 32%).
Despite these concerns, respondents expressed a surprisingly high overall trust in AI tools (84%). This trust is particularly high for small language models (SLMs) and purpose-built AI solutions (90%), like intelligent document processing (IDP), which over half (54%) are already utilizing.
Maxime Vermeir, Senior Director of AI Strategy at ABBYY, commented: “It’s no surprise to me that organizations have more trust in small language models due to the tendency of LLMs to hallucinate and provide inaccurate and possibly harmful outcomes. We’re seeing more business leaders moving to SLMs to better address their specific business needs, enabling more trustworthy results.”
However, ethical considerations remain a concern. While 91% believe their companies comply with regulations, only 56% have a formal AI policy. This gap highlights the need for better guidance, with 43% seeking help from consultants or non-profits. Notably, half (50%) said a responsible AI policy would boost their confidence.
Regionally, trust in AI varies, with the US leading at 87%, followed by Singapore (86%), the UK and Australia (both 85%), then Germany (83%). France lags behind with only 77% expressing trust.
The full report and regional breakdowns are available on the ABBYY website (abbyy.com). This is a global summary – for country-specific details, follow the provided links.
The discussion on AI adoption and trust continues throughout Intelligent Automation Month. Register today to learn more about the impact of AI-powered automation:https://www.abbyy.com/intelligent-automation-month/
