Workers want better AI tools, research says

AI natives are less satisfied (63 per cent) than non-AI natives (80 per cent) about AI tools at work, demonstrating a growing need for HR practitioners to provide applicable and effective tools to remain globally competitive, research has said.

Zoom commissioned a study conducted by Kantar, where survey responses from 2,551 participants aged 18–45 across eight markets in the Asia-Pacific region (Australia, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, and Taiwan) explored the features employees wanted in the AI tools they use at work.

What do employees look for in AI tools?

The survey revealed that 62 per cent of Australian AI natives said that access to AI tools was important to them at work. However, for the Australian AI natives who had access to these tools at work, 63 per cent were satisfied with AI given to them in the workplace, compared with 80 per cent of satisfied non-AI natives.

AI natives valued personalised AI responses that catered to their needs. Sixty-three per cent of respondents said that the AI responses from their tools were “too generic and unhelpful”, and 53 per cent of Australian AI natives said that “generic copy and paste answers” was also a major grievance.

Zoom’s data also revealed that four in five (80 per cent) Australian AI natives and three in four (75 per cent) non-AI natives desired AI tools with the option of human support. In conjunction with this finding, it found that 59 per cent of respondents said that a human agent would be able to better understand their troubleshooting issues.

Further, its research showed that one in three (34 per cent) Australian AI natives said that “disjointed experiences” would worsen their attitude towards an AI tool. Additionally, 59 per cent said businesses should offer AI options that allow customer support.

Head of Zoom ANZ, Bede Hackney (pictured), said: “When implemented thoughtfully, AI can enhance the quality of self-service, while empowering human agents to deliver a more personalised and emotionally intelligent response.”

“Organisations must carefully consider where technology fits across the customer journey, including where AI should lead and when human touch remains essential.”

Australian AI use ‘outpaced’

AI usage in the workplace was found to be widespread. Only 7 per cent of Australian respondents said they do not currently use AI in their workplace.

There was a slight difference in the usage of AI between AI natives and non-AI natives. More AI non-natives (56 per cent) used the tool for writing and editing compared to 46 per cent of AI natives. Similarly, more non-AI natives (45 per cent) used AI for data analysis and reporting, compared to AI natives (34 per cent)

Hackney said: “AI natives are more selective with the technology and still want human connection; therefore, taking a strategic approach to AI application might be the solution, and striking the perfect balance is key.”

Additionally, the study revealed that Australians were outpaced in certain AI use cases, compared to their APAC neighbours. Only 39 per cent of both Australian AI natives and non-AI natives used AI for data analysis and reporting, compared to 48 per cent in other APAC markets, and only 35 per cent of Australian AI natives used it for design and content creation, compared to 43 per cent in other APAC markets.

“As this growing demographic enters both the consumer market and workforce with distinct expectations shaped by AI, organisations must be prepared to evolve and deliver experiences that match these needs,” Hackney said.

“For Australian organisations to fully realise the benefits of AI and remain globally competitive, it’s essential they recognise that AI natives hold heightened expectations of the technology – and actively listen to their specific needs to drive meaningful adoption and engagement.”