95% of workers would let their AI avatars perform tasks in meetings, survey finds

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Would you let a virtual version of yourself act for you at work? If yes, you're not alone. 

On Wednesday, enterprise travel platform TravelPerk released new research on professionals' opinions of artificial intelligence (AI) in the workplace. It found that though participants were somewhat apprehensive, 95% said they "would be willing to allow an AI avatar to perform tasks in a meeting on their behalf." 

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Specifically, employees said they would let AI avatars complete "admin-focused tasks," including "reminding them of deadlines (61%) or scheduling meetings (53%)," so they can focus more on person-to-person interactions during meetings. 

However, the research clarified that "there is also some openness to letting avatars handle some 'human' interactions, such as delivering a presentation (34%) and answering questions (36%) based on pre-set guidelines or historical behavior." What's more, only 13% of remote workers said they would let AI make decisions, compared with 23% of onsite workers. 

The research, conducted in partnership with OnePoll, surveyed 4,000 business travelers in the US, UK, Spain, and Germany (1,000 in each country) from September 13 to 16. Of those polled, 34% of executive leaders said they would let an AI avatar make decisions on their behalf during a meeting, compared to only 9% of entry-level workers.

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That said, 88% of respondents expressed concerns about AI at work, and 41% worried AI might misrepresent them in ways that could negatively impact their careers. These respondents feared AI could create misunderstandings in professional relationships or fail to authentically communicate their personalities. 

For Gen Z participants, 23% said it would prompt them to go into their offices more frequently (compared to only 7% of baby boomers). Forty-two percent of all respondents said using AI avatars would make them more likely to meet people in person.  

"The hype around AI Avatars that it could replace human connection is worrying, as I actually think the opposite is true -- it should instead increase the need for real-life interaction," said TravelPerk CEO and co-founder Avi Meir. "The real challenge is [integrating] AI technology in a way that complements, rather than competes with, the human connection."

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As far as the benefits of AI, opinions are mixed. Forty-seven percent of respondents said using avatars would boost their productivity, but only 28% thought that would actually translate to them working fewer hours, and 22% expressed concern that the choice would limit potential career growth. 

TravelPerk's report ended with some recommendations for employees feeling apprehensive about AI: "Future-proof" your career with relationship-building and critical thinking skills, challenge AI outputs, and use the tech strategically to make work more efficient -- don't expect it to just replace you.