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WHAT DOES A GOOD WORKPLACE AI POLICY LOOK LIKE?
After an international law firm blocked general access to several AI tools following a‘ significant increase in usage’ by staff not in line with its AI policy, Su Apps, Employment Law Partner at Ashfords, looks at what a good workplace AI policy should include.
I ADOPTION SEEMS almost
A inevitable for every business today, with billions being pumped into its development and deployment across different sectors.
The message is clear – we must embrace it or get left behind. But what happens when businesses lean into it a little too much?
Su Apps, Employment Law Partner, Ashfords
It’ s a fine line and one which law firm, Hill Dickinson, found itself grappling with recently when a‘ significant increase in usage’ – including more than 32,000 hits to ChatGPT in one week – prompted it to block general access to AI tools, only permitting staff to use them if they submit a request.
Whilst it appears that Hill Dickinson had an AI policy in place to help it address these issues, what is concerning is the number of businesses that do not. Research conducted by Ashfords last year amongst 250 British businesses revealed that 41 % did not have a documented AI policy in place and furthermore 12 % – more than one in 10 – did not know they needed one.
Incredibly, almost one in five( 18 %) also described AI as a passing‘ fad’ which they did not believe would affect them.
The effective use of Generative AI is a potential game-changer for businesses of all sizes, but if not used responsibly it also carries risk. It is therefore vital that employers protect themselves by providing clear guidance on how it should be used.
What makes a good workplace AI policy?
AI tools are becoming part of the everyday in many jobs, and it is incumbent upon employers to ensure responsible usage by explaining what the rules are and why they’ re in place.
An AI policy doesn’ t need to be onerous or overly complicated, but it does need to be clear on:
• Explaining what‘ AI tools’ are – particularly those used in your business – from chatbots such as ChatGPT and automation tools to predictive analytics and image recognition.
• What tools can and cannot be used for specific tasks within your business. You
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