Privacy of company data is still the biggest fear when using AI

Data privacy and security remain a primary concern for IT and telecom managers when using AI, with almost a third (30%) expressing it as their biggest fear, according to new research by Cavell, a leading research and consulting firm.

Cavell's Q2 2024 AI in Comms Report surveyed over 2,000 IT and telecom decision makers across the UK, US, and Europe, providing a comprehensive understanding of the use of AI in communications and its impact on companies.

The report revealed that security and data privacy concerns around AI are driving companies (36%) to increase their focus on data security and compliance, underscoring the pivotal role of AI in shaping companies' (91%) overall technology strategies.

Additionally, concerns around misuse and accidental breaking of customer privacy regulations led to a surge in AI policy adaptation. 79% of companies already have a policy on AI usage, indicating a 25% increase from the year before.

Finbarr Begley, Senior Analyst at Cavell, commented:” Like many industries, AI is starting to see increased adoption in the communications industry. The primary use cases now are automation of administration e.g. transcription. However, AI does not come without risks, and companies are rightly concerned about misuse, data privacy, and making sure they get the most from AI without endangering their current brand reputation.”

Interestingly, the concerns around AI differentiate between markets. While misuse of AI is the top concern in the US (34%), the privacy of company data takes the lead in the UK (33%) and Europe (27%). This is largely due to the impact of strict data controls to protect customer data. On the other hand, the consistent expectation of improved efficiency and productivity from AI remains the same across the regions.

In terms of use cases for AI in communications, the tendency is toward deploying AI for internal purposes like data analytics (34%) or internal communications functions (28%) such as note-taking, transcribing, and summarisation.

However, the report underlined the potential for AI use in customer service, with only 18% currently using it for automated communications. This reveals a significant untapped potential for AI to revolutionise customer service, offering a promising future for the industry.

The report also revealed opportunities for companies to make better use of AI by upskilling employees, adjusting their IT budgets, and improving their data collection and database technologies.