Executives have mixed feelings about the use of AI.

Executives have mixed feelings regarding the use of AI

April 22, 2024 – To what extent are AI tools already being utilized in companies and by their executives in their daily work, and how much do they expect the leadership culture in businesses to change as a result of their usage?

This is what the Institute for Leadership Culture in the Digital Age (IFIDZ) wanted to know in its latest Leadership Trend Barometer from the participating executives. The online survey of 173 executives in companies from various industries revealed that most of them have an ambivalent relationship with AI usage in their organization as well as in their own daily work.

Executives consider AI usage to be relevant for future success...

While 80 percent of the surveyed executives are convinced that professional AI use in their industry will play a decisive role in future success; only 22 percent of them are currently using AI tools such as ChatGPT, Deepl, and Copilot almost daily.

... but are rather hesitant to promote AI usage.

Moreover, only 21 percent of them actively advocate for a stronger use of AI technology in their work environment. This may also be due to the fact that more than a third (35 percent) of them report no support in this regard from their organization.

Correspondingly, only 26.3 percent of executives feel centrally responsible for stimulating the use of AI in their area of responsibility. Most of them feel only partially responsible for this, which, according to the IFIDZ, indicates a "significant engagement deficit" of executives in the AI sector.

The topic of AI already plays a role in strategic planning

In contradiction,

• 46 percent of executives state that their companies already offer training for employees to support AI integration, and

• over 40 percent express that the topic of AI already plays an important role in their strategic planning.

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Middle management often lacks the necessary orientation

The often inconsistent statements by executives during the survey show, according to the IFIDZ, that many of them are currently approaching the topic of AI usage in their area and daily work in a rather unstructured and hesitant manner – also because there is currently no consensus or alignment in their companies on how to deal with this future topic. Corresponding strategic guidelines are also lacking.

Executives expect job losses due to AI usage

As reasons for their rather low engagement for a stronger AI usage, the executives cite, among other things, data protection concerns that exist within their organization. Furthermore, they do see the potential risk of job losses accompanying an increased use of AI in the medium term – especially if this leads to increased automation of certain tasks and processes.

About 20 percent feel somewhat threatened by this, among other reasons, because a potential decrease in employee numbers would also require fewer executives.

Increasing executives' awareness of the topic of AI usage

The results of the current Leadership Trend Barometer from IFIDZ will also flow into the (online) seminars and lectures held by Institute Director Barbara Liebermeister regularly in and for companies on the topic "Leadership in the Context of Artificial Intelligence (AI)." Interested parties can find more information in the “Services” section of the IFIDZ website.

PS.: The current Leadership Trend Barometer was conducted by  IFIDZ in cooperation with the "Innovation Agency for New Work" I.T.C. Incentive Training Communication GmbH, primarily to integrate more perspectives into the survey.

Author: Barbara Liebermeister

About the Author:
Barbara Liebermeister is the founder and director of the Institute for Leadership Culture in the Digital Age (IFIDZ) – and a thought leader in modern leadership. With the concept she developed, Alpha Intelligence®, she summarizes the crucial intelligences of successful leaders in the digital transformation: human, effective, and future-ready.

As an experienced manager, consultant, and coach, she brings practical experience and supports companies in rethinking their leadership culture – scientifically based, individual, and with a clear focus on what truly works. Whether as an author of several professional books, a speaker on stages, or a lecturer at renowned universities such as RWTH Aachen, the Kempten University of Applied Sciences, and many more – Barbara combines solid knowledge with a large portion of personality.

She is a mentor at universities in Hesse, was nominated for the #digitalfemaleleader Award, and received the Wolfgang-Heilmann Prize for the digital leadership analysis tool LEADT with her team. Her drive: to make leadership more human and simultaneously future-proof.