A recent study commissioned by Zoom and conducted by Morning Consult has found that Australian leaders are significantly more optimistic about adopting artificial intelligence (AI) than their global counterparts. However, the concerns of employees present a significant barrier to this adoption.

The study, which surveyed over 11,000 full-time knowledge workers globally, including 1,000 from Australia, found that 93% of Australian leaders are optimistic about AI adoption, surpassing the global average of 88%. Leaders who have already implemented AI within their teams reported numerous benefits, with 88% noting faster task completion, 84% observing increased productivity, and 85% witnessing higher quality work.

Despite these positive findings, the study also revealed employers have to work to do to address their employees concerns. For instance, 89% of employees are worried about the impact on jobs, and 71% of leaders acknowledged that this fear acts as a barrier to AI adoption.

Bede Hackney, Head of Australia and New Zealand at Zoom, emphasised the role of leadership in addressing these concerns and fostering AI adoption. "Just as AI can help automate or assist with tasks to improve productivity, it can also help boost collaboration. Educating teams and providing resources are essential steps toward unlocking the full potential of AI in the workplace," Hackney said.

Ricky Kapur, Head of Asia Pacific at Zoom, highlighted the potential opportunity cost for businesses that avoid AI. "Those who don't use AI at work likely don't recognise how much time they could potentially be saving. It's clear that those who aren't using it may be missing out on an opportunity to improve how they use their time by embracing these transformative technologies," Kapur noted.

The survey also found that employees in the Asia Pacific region, including Australia, are more excited about AI and more likely to use it in the future than their counterparts in the US and EMEA regions. Some 69% of APAC employees and 60% of Australian employees reported being excited about AI, compared to just 47% in the US. Furthermore, 43% of APAC employees said they are likely to use AI in the future, compared to 29% in EMEA and 26% in the U.S.