The Diversity Institute, in partnership with the Future Skills Centre and the Environics Institute for Survey Research, published the Artificial Intelligence at Work: The Shifting Landscape of Future Skills and the Future of Work Report. The study was funded by the Government of Canada‘s Future Skills Program. The report is based on the seventh wave of the Survey on Employment and Skills conducted from May-July 2024. Each wave of the study consists of a survey of over 5,000 Canadians aged 18 years and over, conducted in all provinces and territories. According to the study, Canada is falling behind globally in relation to Artificial Intelligence (AI) adoption. Barriers to AI adoption that Canadians experience include a lack of awareness of AI tools that can be used in the workplace, as well as ethical and privacy concerns with integrating AI into operations.
One in five (21%) of organizations surveyed indicated they do not have employees with the adequate skills to use AI tools they plan to integrate, and just under one in five (17%) cannot find new employees to fill this gap. Two in five Canadian organizations (41%) in one survey said that limited AI skills and expertise was the top barrier to AI adoption. Over one-half (54%) of Canadian businesses in another survey said they are concerned about the accuracy of the AI algorithms they are using and that they might be making decisions based on poorly designed algorithms. However, just under one-half (45%) in the same survey said they lack the expertise among their workforce to validate and verify the algorithms they have in place. Just under one-third of those who were employed indicated they have used AI at work to help with tasks, with positive effects; most reported that using AI had made them more productive and more creative at work.
For further information about the study or to access additional findings, access the report.