Almost two-thirds (63%) of people would trust artificial intelligence to inform important work decisions, a CIPD poll has found.

The HR body’s poll of more than 2,000 people showed that 35% were less trustful and would not leave important work decisions to AI, preferring to use human intelligence.

The CIPD asked professionals about their opinions of AI in response to the government’s recently launched AI Opportunities Action Plan, which aims to boost growth in public services through technology.

HR professionals responding to the poll, hosted on LinkedIn, also shared their thoughts on how it might impact their work going forward.

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One said: “Critical workplace decisions – especially those impacting people – require human judgement to account for context, ethics and empathy. A balanced approach is key.”

Another said: “AI should be regarded as an additional source of analytics that would help us make better and more effective decisions.”

Others noted that it had saved time in their work, but that it should not be used as a means to take a shortcut to “doing your job for you”.

The CIPD said it encouraged organisations to “lean in” to AI, but emphasised the human-centric approach.

It also called upon employers and HR teams to develop clear guidelines on AI usage at work, covering ethical practices, data security and how people are treated fairly.

Hayfa Mohdzaini, senior policy and practice adviser for technology at the CIPD, said: “There’s no question that AI is transforming jobs, careers and workplaces at a rapid pace.

“By fostering a culture of experimentation and shared learning, organisations can help employees to develop their skills and become more comfortable using new technologies. We’ve seen that AI can be used effectively to support decision-making and simplify processes, thereby freeing up time to do other things.

“But as our findings suggest, human oversight is still very important and there’s a careful balance to be struck. When used alongside human judgement, and in a responsible and ethical way, AI can enhance jobs and increase productivity.

“Organisations have a responsibility to have clear guidelines in place and train people on AI as needed, to ensure that no one gets left behind. It’s also essential for employers to monitor how technology is being used in their organisations and to help employees to understand the risks involved.”

At his keynote speech at last year’s CIPD Annual Conference and Exhibition, chief executive Peter Cheese also noted the important role of HR in the ethical use of AI.

“AI will impact the work we do on an accelerating basis so we must make sure the jobs we create from it are good for people, that we derive them from the principles of good work,” he said.

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