When asked about the positive short-term effects (5 years) of AI in a professional context, only 19% of some 2,000 French respondents believe that it will improve their productivity.
This percentage rises to 31% when the question is asked of the entire global sample surveyed by PwC (nearly 54,000 workers).
17% of French employees expect AI to teach them new skills (vs. 27% globally), and 14% expect it to create new job opportunities (vs. 21%).
Apart from employees in the technology, media and telecommunications sector, which are much more enthusiastic, the French are "more measured on their perception" of the "positive aspects that AI can bring to their jobs," says PwC.
But at the same time, they perceive AI less as a threat to their jobs. Only 9% fear being replaced by AI at their workstation (and even 5% in the public sector), compared to 13% of employees globally.
Another sign of less concern, 12% of French respondents expect AI to change the nature of their work in a negative way, two points less than in the rest of the world (14%).
Significantly, more than one in four French employees (27%, compared to 22% globally) do not anticipate any effect of AI on their work in the next five years.
In mid-June, a survey by the BVA institute for Pôle emploi revealed an even more marked caution of French employers, since 57% of them admitted not to use AI and not to do so.
In terms of climate policy, another hot topic, PwC notes that French employees are more critical than others.
35% of French workers find that their company does not do enough to deal with climate change, compared to 28% globally.
The study was conducted online from 3 to 17 April 2023 among 53,912 employees in the public and private sectors, including 2,142 French workers. It was carried out in 46 countries, mainly located in Western Europe and Asia-Pacific.
© 2023 AFP