Why Some Businesses Hesitate to Embrace AI (Expert Opinion)
For many businesses, artificial intelligence seems like the next big thing. It’s a way to boost productivity, cut costs, and gain a competitive edge.
But not every company is rushing headlong into AI. As with any major technological change, there are understandable reasons for caution.
That’s what you’ll find in this article — straight talk from business thought leaders as they shed light on why some businesses have yet to incorporate innovative AI technologies in their daily operations.
1. Concerns Over AI-Generated IP Rights
“One big reason businesses might hesitate to use AI is worries about intellectual property (IP). AI models that generate new things, like content or designs, raise a question: Who owns the rights to what they create?
The copyright laws around this kind of AI aren’t clear yet, and it might take time to sort out. Image generators like Midjourney and DALL-E can make realistic images from text descriptions, and AI like ChatGPT can create all sorts of content that seems like it’s written by a human, in any style you ask for. These tools learn from millions of examples, so what they produce is based on stuff that already exists—meaning it’s not entirely original.
When they make something, you might not know where the data they used came from. This could lead to legal problems, damage to the company’s reputation, or financial loss, especially if it turns out they used another company’s intellectual property. Right now, there aren’t many legal rules to help clear up these issues with IP and copyright in AI, and that’s something that needs fixing.”
Jonathan Merry, Founder, Moneyzine
2. Fear of Redundancy and Resistance to Change
People are afraid of the unknown. Until recently, AI was a virtual unknown for many people. There has been fear on multiple levels. Employees question whether AI will take over their jobs and worry about becoming redundant if AI is implemented.
Also, people naturally resist change and all the preparation and training that goes along with any sort of change you implement as a business leader. It is a mark of a true leader to introduce, initiate, and implement change within their organization.
Moreover, advancements in AI have been coming in hot. It is too fast for some employees to grasp, which ties in with what I said earlier about people fearing the unknown.
As a business owner, it is up to you to educate your employees on the benefits of change, whether it be more implementation of AI or other changes that we should all be making from time to time. Engage in training, communicate openly, and show your team from the top down that there is nothing to be afraid of.
Stefan Campbell, Owner, The Small Business Blog
3. Lack of Understanding
A lack of proper understanding of AI has led many businesses, especially small enterprises, to avoid embracing AI innovation.
As a technology editor, I know it’s not easy for businesses to embrace a new technology emerging without a proper understanding. Many businesses have heard of AI and what it can do to transform business productivity and growth. However, most companies are hesitant to adopt AI as they do not know how to fully integrate it into their daily operations. Other companies are afraid of the risks associated with integrating AI, such as copyright and plagiarism concerns.
For example, if you use AI to generate content and images, you might be liable for lawsuits as the content might be obtained from other sources without permission. The legal risks of AI also keep some businesses away from embracing AI technology. In the future, businesses will have to use AI as a core pillar for their operations, but for now, a lack of proper understanding and risks limit full AI adoption.
Bobby Lawson, Technology Editor/Publisher, Earth Web
