Path to the autonomous workplace

46% of middle managers want a human involved when AI resolves IT issues that could affect security, data, or business operations, compared with 24% of executive leaders.

39% of workers say strong security and privacy protections would make them more comfortable allowing AI to fix problems autonomously; this rises to 46% among senior managers, 43% among middle managers, and 34% among executive leaders.

36% of workers want limits on what AI can access before allowing it to act independently.

42% of senior managers say limiting what AI can access would make them more comfortable with AI fixing problems at work on its own, compared with 37% of middle managers and 32% of executive leaders.

Security, privacy, and risk concerns are the most commonly cited barrier to AI adoption among IT decision-makers, cited by 45%.

49% of workers in energy, utilities, and oil and gas want human involvement when AI resolves IT issues that could affect security, data, or business operations, compared with 28% of workers in marketing, media, and communications.

26% of workers place responsibility for mistakes by autonomous systems on IT, 25% place it on themselves, and 17% believe no one should be responsible because it is a system.

51% of workers say they do not always know when to trust AI and when to verify its output.

73% of workers are more likely to trust AI when it shows what it is doing and why.

70% of workers are comfortable with AI taking action as long as they can step in when needed.

30% of workers say security risks or unauthorized access are among their biggest concerns about AI acting without a human in the loop.

33% of middle and senior managers cite security risks or unauthorized access as major concerns about AI acting without a human, compared with 23% of executive leaders.

49% of workers say accountability is clear when autonomous systems make mistakes.