Latest news with #DebbieWeinstein
The Independent
25-04-2025
- Business
- The Independent
UK risks missing out on £200bn boost from slow take-up of AI, warns Google
The boss of Google's UK and European operations has issued a 'call to arms' over a worrying gap in the UK's adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) that could leave Britain at risk of missing out on a £200 billion boost to the economy. New research from the tech giant suggests that two-thirds of workers (66%) in Britain have never used generative AI in their jobs, with usage particularly low among women over 55 and those from lower socio-economic backgrounds. The firm said that while AI has the potential to add £400 billion to Britain's economy by the end of the decade through enhanced productivity, only half of this will be realised if the UK does not plug the adoption gap. Debbie Weinstein, president of Google in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, told the PA news agency the group's report was a 'call to arms… to make sure we're providing the tools that workers need for the UK'. She said: 'Addressing this adoption gap is essential to realising the economic benefits and the benefits in terms of time savings.' ' More needs to be done,' she cautioned. Google said that while many countries are slow to adopt AI in everyday life, the UK has historically trailed behind other countries in its adoption of new technology. In its AI Works report, it said: ' History shows this pattern recurring worldwide through successive waves of technology. 'But the challenge has been particularly pronounced in the UK, where a gap between innovation and implementation has repeatedly undermined economic potential.' 'Given AI's extraordinary economic potential, this long-tail pattern of adoption risks delaying productivity and compromising long-term growth,' it added. The company's study – conducted by research group Public First – found that AI adoption is being held back by a lack of accredited bite-sized training courses, as well as a failure by companies to provide official guidance on its use in the workplace. The survey of more than 3,100 respondents found that 70% of workers chose to use AI tools on their own rather than being asked to by their managers or employers, with just over a fifth (22%) being encouraged to do so by their employers, down from 28% six months ago. 'AI adoption is largely happening without official workplace guidance,' the firm said. Google is calling on the Government to use its industrial strategy to 'set out how AI adoption can be best supported in key industries'. 'Our research shows that workers are looking for explicit permission and guardrails on what they can, and are encouraged to, use AI for.' It also urged the new arms-length government body, Skills England, to support an accreditation system for short and effective training courses. Technology Secretary Peter Kyle said: 'We will support workers to develop the skills they need for jobs in and with AI, so that all parts of society can benefit from this technology.' 'As part of that, our AI Opportunities Action Plan will see us work closely with Skills England on a range of initiatives, including building a detailed picture of the gaps in our talent pool and working with training providers and industry to fill them.' Google has been running a pilot with small firms in the UK to help increase the take-up of AI, using behavioural science to help drive the programme, while also working with school academies and the Community Union. It is planning on rolling out AI Works pilots to other countries, such as Germany.
CNN
25-04-2025
- Business
- CNN
Workers could save 122 hours a year by using AI in admin tasks, Google finds
Britain could gain £400 billion ($533 billion) from artificial intelligence-driven economic growth if it trained its workforce, Google has said, after pilot programs in the country showed that workers could save more than 120 hours a year by using AI in administrative tasks. Simple steps, such as giving workers permission to use AI and a few hours of training to get them started, could help double the adoption of the new technology and in turn boost economic growth, Google said in a report on its pilot programs, published Friday. The US tech giant, which developed the Gemini AI chatbot, said that according to analysis by Public First, its partner in the program, two-thirds of workers – particularly older women from lower socio-economic backgrounds – had never used generative AI at work. Debbie Weinstein, Google's Europe, Middle East and Africa president, said the AI Works pilots – conducted in a small business network, educational trusts and a union – showed workers could save on average 122 hours a year by using AI in administrative tasks. But one barrier stopping some from dipping a toe into the water was a concern that using AI in their job was not legitimate or fair. 'People wanted 'permission to prompt',' Weinstein said in an interview. ''Is it okay for me to be doing this?' And so giving them that reassurance was really important.' Once they started, a few hours of AI training to build their confidence resulted in them using the technology twice as much, she said, and they were still using it several months later. These simple interventions helped narrow the AI adoption gap among the participants in the pilot studies, Google said in its AI Works report. Before training, for example, only 17% of women aged above 55 in its cohorts used AI weekly and only 9% daily. Three months later, 56% were using it weekly and 29% had made it a daily habit.
CNN
25-04-2025
- Business
- CNN
Workers could save 122 hours a year by using AI in admin tasks, Google finds
Britain could gain £400 billion ($533 billion) from artificial intelligence-driven economic growth if it trained its workforce, Google has said, after pilot programs in the country showed that workers could save more than 120 hours a year by using AI in administrative tasks. Simple steps, such as giving workers permission to use AI and a few hours of training to get them started, could help double the adoption of the new technology and in turn boost economic growth, Google said in a report on its pilot programs, published Friday. The US tech giant, which developed the Gemini AI chatbot, said that according to analysis by Public First, its partner in the program, two-thirds of workers – particularly older women from lower socio-economic backgrounds – had never used generative AI at work. Debbie Weinstein, Google's Europe, Middle East and Africa president, said the AI Works pilots – conducted in a small business network, educational trusts and a union – showed workers could save on average 122 hours a year by using AI in administrative tasks. But one barrier stopping some from dipping a toe into the water was a concern that using AI in their job was not legitimate or fair. 'People wanted 'permission to prompt',' Weinstein said in an interview. ''Is it okay for me to be doing this?' And so giving them that reassurance was really important.' Once they started, a few hours of AI training to build their confidence resulted in them using the technology twice as much, she said, and they were still using it several months later. These simple interventions helped narrow the AI adoption gap among the participants in the pilot studies, Google said in its AI Works report. Before training, for example, only 17% of women aged above 55 in its cohorts used AI weekly and only 9% daily. Three months later, 56% were using it weekly and 29% had made it a daily habit.
The Sun
25-04-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Google: Britain can gain £400b if it trains workforce in AI
LONDON: Britain could gain £400 billion (RM2.3 trillion) from AI-driven growth if it trained its workforce, Google said, after a pilot scheme in the UK showed workers could save more than 120 hours a year by using AI in administrative tasks. Simple steps such as giving workers permission to use AI and a few hours of training to get them started could help double the adoption of the new technology, and in turn boost economic growth, Google said in a report on its pilot scheme, published on Friday. The US tech giant, which developed the Gemini AI chatbot, said that according to analysis by Public First, its partner in the scheme, two thirds of workers – particularly older women from lower socio-economic backgrounds – had never used generative AI at work. Debbie Weinstein, Google's Europe, Middle East and Africa president, said the AI Works pilots – conducted in a small business network, educational trusts and a union – showed workers could save on average 122 hours a year by using AI in administrative tasks. But one barrier stopping some from dipping a toe into the water was a concern that using AI in their job was not legitimate nor fair. 'People wanted 'permission to prompt'', Weinstein said in an interview. ''Is it okay for me to be doing this?' And so giving them that reassurance was really important.' Once they started, a few hours of AI training to build their confidence resulted in them using the technology twice as much, she said, and they were still using it several months later. These simple interventions helped to narrow the AI adoption gap amongst the participants in the pilot studies, Google said in its AI Works report. Before training, for example, only 17% of women aged above 55 in its cohorts used AI weekly and only 9% daily. Three months later, 56% were using it weekly and 29% had made it a daily habit. – Reuters
Yahoo
25-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
UK risks missing out on £200bn boost from slow take-up of AI, warns Google
The boss of Google's UK and European operations has issued a 'call to arms' over a worrying gap in the UK's adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) that could leave Britain at risk of missing out on a £200 billion boost to the economy. New research from the tech giant suggests that two-thirds of workers (66%) in Britain have never used generative AI in their jobs, with usage particularly low among women over 55 and those from lower socio-economic backgrounds. The firm said that while AI has the potential to add £400 billion to Britain's economy by the end of the decade through enhanced productivity, only half of this will be realised if the UK does not plug the adoption gap. Debbie Weinstein, president of Google in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, told the PA news agency the group's report was a 'call to arms… to make sure we're providing the tools that workers need for the UK'. She said: 'Addressing this adoption gap is essential to realising the economic benefits and the benefits in terms of time savings.' 'More needs to be done,' she cautioned. Google said that while many countries are slow to adopt AI in everyday life, the UK has historically trailed behind other countries in its adoption of new technology. In its AI Works report, it said: 'History shows this pattern recurring worldwide through successive waves of technology. 'But the challenge has been particularly pronounced in the UK, where a gap between innovation and implementation has repeatedly undermined economic potential.' 'Given AI's extraordinary economic potential, this long-tail pattern of adoption risks delaying productivity and compromising long-term growth,' it added. The company's study – conducted by research group Public First – found that AI adoption is being held back by a lack of accredited bite-sized training courses, as well as a failure by companies to provide official guidance on its use in the workplace. The survey of more than 3,100 respondents found that 70% of workers chose to use AI tools on their own rather than being asked to by their managers or employers, with just over a fifth (22%) being encouraged to do so by their employers, down from 28% six months ago. 'AI adoption is largely happening without official workplace guidance,' the firm said. Google is calling on the Government to use its industrial strategy to 'set out how AI adoption can be best supported in key industries'. 'Our research shows that workers are looking for explicit permission and guardrails on what they can, and are encouraged to, use AI for.' It also urged the new arms-length government body, Skills England, to support an accreditation system for short and effective training courses. Technology Secretary Peter Kyle said: 'We will support workers to develop the skills they need for jobs in and with AI, so that all parts of society can benefit from this technology.' 'As part of that, our AI Opportunities Action Plan will see us work closely with Skills England on a range of initiatives, including building a detailed picture of the gaps in our talent pool and working with training providers and industry to fill them.' Google has been running a pilot with small firms in the UK to help increase the take-up of AI, using behavioural science to help drive the programme, while also working with school academies and the Community Union. It is planning on rolling out AI Works pilots to other countries, such as Germany. Sign in to access your portfolio
