How do Slovenians view artificial intelligence?

The Public Agency for Scientific Research and Innovation of the Republic of Slovenia, together with the Ministry of Digital Transformation, supported the target research program Impact of artificial intelligence on the labor market, Faculty of Administration and Faculty of Economics, University of Ljubljana.

The first part of the project includes a study of the motivation and acceptance of artificial intelligence (AI) and information and communication technologies (ICT) in different sectors, as well as the structure of digital competences and the role of digital skills in the future of each sector. In the second phase of the project, the aim was to analyze national and international policies, national and international practices and the role of platforms in the future of the sectors. The goal of the third, and so far last, phase is to define and evaluate the potential of artificial intelligence and ICT technologies in the future with the help of research.

In the survey, which was carried out in the third part of the targeted research program (CRP) (25/05/2023 - 25/08/2023), 1,041 respondents participated, of which 432 partially or fully filled out the survey. The survey was completed by 192 men and 238 women. The majority of respondents (93 %) were in the age range between 21 and 60 years. The majority, as many as 70 % respondents, have completed at least a college or university education. Most respondents are employed in the private sector (61 %), while 38 % work in the public sector.

The results of the survey showed that the majority of respondents (75 %) are familiar with the term artificial intelligence, with less than half (42 %) of respondents being identified as users of AI technologies. This proportion is slightly higher among men than among women. The use of UI technologies increases with education, with the highest use of UI technologies among managerial staff.

Respondents believe that the share of companies using UI technologies is higher in the private sector than in the public sector, as it amounts to 31 % in the private sector and 20 % in the public sector. The survey also found that respondents' opinions on how many companies are using UI technologies differ depending on whether respondents work from home or not. Respondents who work from home believe that 48 % companies use UI technologies, while those who work at the employer's location believe that only 22 % organizations use these technologies.

It is noticeable that in organizations with a larger number of employees, the likelihood of using UI technology at work also increases. The use of these technologies mainly replaced routine and partly physically demanding jobs, while the respondents performed more complex tasks after the implementation of UI technologies. Respondents agree that after the implementation of UI technologies, work has become faster, and they have also learned new skills, while the impact on product quality remains almost unchanged.

More than 60 % respondents expect to use UI technologies at work in the next ten years, while nearly 50 % believe these technologies will have a positive impact on employees in their industry. More than 33 % respondents fear that the use of UI technologies will have a negative impact on their wages. It is interesting, however, that less than 4 % respondents believe that they will lose their jobs in the next ten years due to these technologies.

From the survey, we also see that 27 % managements of organizations consult with employees regarding the use of new technologies, with the majority of respondents believing that it would be reasonable to use UI technologies with limitations, especially for evaluating work performance and employees' well-being.

UI is emerging as a key driver of the future of work, with its adoption closely correlating with economic indicators such as gross domestic product per capita and the Digital Economy and Society Index (DESI). In countries with a better economic status and a higher DESI index, we see more intense investment in AI, which in turn catalyzes technological development. A similar trend of positive acceptance of UI is also recorded in the Republic of Slovenia, where, in line with other OECD countries, significant improvements are observed in the areas of work performance and general well-being of employees. Although expectations regarding economic security differ among individuals, education remains a key pillar for the advancement and successful integration of UI into various sectors. Especially in the service and scientific industries, AI demonstrates its potential to increase efficiency, which highlights the necessity of targeted education and proactive policies to ensure the harmonious integration of AI into work environments.

With the measure of the National Strategic Plan, the Ministry of Digital Transformation will help to raise the competences of Slovenian companies in the field of artificial intelligence, intended for development groups and company management. This aims to provide adequate knowledge and awareness about the introduction of AI in the business of companies and to provide a legal and ethical framework for the development, introduction and use of AI technologies. The planned financing includes at least 8 seminars for development groups, 12 seminars for company managers and 20 seminars on the legal and ethical framework of UI, with a total value of EUR 1,000,000 in the period 2024-2025.

Source: Ministry of Digital Transformation