A significant number of people are comfortable sharing their personal information with Generative AI tools like ChatGPT, a recent survey conducted by KnowBe4 Africa found.
The survey, which spanned 1,300 respondents in ten African and Middle Eastern countries,revealed that 63% of users are open to sharing their personal information, while an impressive 83% expressed confidence in the accuracy and reliability of these AI tools. “While the results clearly show that Generative AI tools are widely used, they also highlight the need for increased user training and awareness regarding the potential risks associated with this powerful new technology,” said Anna Collard, SVP Content Strategy and Evangelist at KnowBe4 Africa.
Upon its introduction in late 2022, ChatGPT revolutionised the way people work. The highly adept chatbot, known for its natural and impeccable English, swiftly won over critics. Business teams discovered they could create marketing campaigns in a matter of minutes instead of hours and effortlessly generate content in various forms, such as text and images. However, some argue that the world has embraced Generative AI too hastily.
“The adoption of GenAI offers tremendous opportunities for African users and organisations but we also need to consider the associated risks,” said Collard. “Our survey – which runs across users owning smartphones in 10 African countries – indicates that all respondents are using Generative AI in their personal and professional lives, with many using it on a daily or weekly basis.”
The primary purposes for using Generative AI are research, information gathering, email composition, creative content generation and document drafting. Respondents highlighted several benefits of using Generative AI, including time-saving, assistance with complex tasks, increased productivity and enhanced creativity.
“Despite the hype about job losses and various industries being negatively affected by Generative AI, 80% of respondents didn’t feel that it threatened their job security, although 57% believed it has the potential to replace human creativity,” said Collard. “What is interesting in the findings is the disconnect between what people think and the reality, particularly when it comes to cybersecurity.”
Too willing to share sensitive data
The survey, carried out across South Africa, Botswana, Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Egypt, Mauritius, Morocco, United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, revealed that almost two-thirds of users are at ease sharing their personal information with Generative AI tools such as ChatGPT. The comfort level in sharing sensitive data varied across countries. For example, in South Africa, only 54% of users were comfortable sharing their personal information with Generative AI tools, while in the UAE it was 67% and in Nigeria it was 75%.
According to the survey, 83% of users feel confident about the accuracy and reliability of Generative AI, showing an excessive level of trust. Collard said that it is important to encourage critical thinking and be aware of our psychological biases that make us blindly trust content that is synthetically generated.
Another concerning finding is the lack of comprehensive policies in organisations to address the challenges associated with Generative AI. Almost half of the respondents (46%) reported having no Generative AI policy at work, and 8% stated that they were prohibited from using it.
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