- Investors have a moderately high level of optimism about AI
- They still have concerns about sustainability and staffing
- Business leaders may need to listen more to investors
New Just Capital research found that while most business leaders (93%) and investors (80%) predict AI will have a net positive effect on society over the next five years, enthusiasm among the general public (58%) is not quite as high.
Productivity, innovation, profitability and shareholder returns are some of the areas that business leaders and investors expect to see the greatest returns.
But around half of the public still share concerns about job losses, despite only one in five business leaders agreeing.
The public is not quite as optimistic about AI as companies
Regardless of perception, all three groups of respondents agreed that AI security is a top priority, but to varying degrees. The public fears all risks equally, including loss of control and the environmental impact of high computer use – but business leaders are mostly concerned about misinformation and malicious use.
As such, members of the public are more likely to want governments to introduce broader regulation across all AI risk areas.
According to the data, investors are most likely to believe that artificial intelligence will have a negative impact on the environment. Only 17% of business leaders currently consider sustainability in their AI implementations, while two-fifths (42%) exclude it altogether. Other previous reports have indicated similar pressure from shareholders to focus on AI’s environmental impacts.
With technological changes underway, 90% of the public and 97% of investors agree that AI training for workers is now a critical requirement, but companies may not always agree.
“Areas of underinvestment or gaps between investor, public and corporate expectations represent key opportunities for impact, leadership and competitive differentiation,” the researchers concluded.
Data from the report generally shows investor expectations more closely aligned with public expectations, with companies tending to underperform in allocating sufficient investment to environmental, training and employee support budgets.
Looking ahead, internal and external pressures may guide companies to adjust their AI strategies, and the companies most likely to stand out will be those that respond to these pressures.
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