Many people remain skeptical about the benefits of artificial intelligence (AI), with some even fearing it will take their jobs and infringe on their personal liberties. By industry, construction leads in AI resistance, reflecting sector-specific challenges in embracing technology. So says a fascinating new survey by Yooz, makers of a cloud-based E-invoicing and Purchase-to-Pay (P2P) automation solution.

Insights from the survey illuminate deep divides in AI adoption across various industries, yet when offered a choice among ten industries, both respondents overall and those specifically within the construction sector agreed that the construction industry exhibited the highest resistance to embracing AI advancements.

Respondents in the construction industry also had higher levels of awareness of examples of negative uses of AI—such as phishing, identity theft, document forgery or transaction fraud—with 62 percent of respondents in the construction industry saying they’re familiar with these uses, in contrast to only 57 percent of respondents overall. 

“For sectors like construction, bridging the knowledge gap and addressing misconceptions about AI could pave the way for wider acceptance and integration, unlocking new opportunities for efficiency and innovation,” Yooz says in a report accompanying the survey. 

To begin shifting perceptions among colleagues and organizations to promote AI technology, Yooz provided several recommendations for construction leaders:

  • Bridge the AI knowledge gap by supporting continuing education, sharing interesting articles and learnings, and hosting regular lunch and learns with teams.
  • Educate on AI misconceptions with proactive conversations and focused team-wide learning opportunities.
  • Showcase AI success stories, from highlighting incremental uses of AI within the organization to sharing case studies and articles highlighting other organizations.
  • Drive dialogue before AI deployments with proactive communication, open conversations and intentional feedback loops.
  • Provides hands-on experience with AI, allowing teams the freedom to experiment and propose new innovative ideas.
  • Explore AI solutions and technologies that could be impactful in different areas of the business.

The 2024 Yooz Survey: AI in the Workplace was conducted on February 2024 for Yooz by the third-party survey platform Pollfish. The study surveyed 600 U.S. professionals over the age of 18. The respondents were salaried workers with annual household incomes of at least $50,000, representing industries including construction, manufacturing, automotive, retail, restaurant, healthcare, finance and insurance.