Many office workers say they still haven't been trained on Gen AI

Many office workers say they still haven’t been trained on Gen AI

1 October 2024, 17:05 published

Ongoing generative AI adoption in the workplace is bringing new threats to the digital employee experience (DEX), which could be amplifying security concerns, new research has claimed.

A report by Ivanti found 86% of IT professionals believe poor digital experiences can lead employees to adopt unsafe workarounds, such as using unauthorized devices and AI tools.

Ivanti’s report sheds light on the intricate balance between enhancing employee experiences through technology and safeguarding company data. While three-quarters of global knowledge workers now use GenAI, four in five (81%) of them haven’t received any formal training. Additionally, 15% are using unsanctioned AI tools which can increase the risk of security breaches, data privacy violations and other legal challenges, such as copyright infringement.

Poor DEX could make your company more vulnerable

“Although harmless in the moment, employees typically opt for convenience and put security on the back burner,” Ivanti Field CISO Mike Riemer summarized.

The report details how employers should consider their DEX more closely in order to align with how employees work, enabling them to consider security at an earlier and deeper level.

“Companies should take steps to understand their employees’ workplace behaviors and adopt security measures that reduce the temptation for employees to sidestep protocols and use unsafe workarounds. Strong security shouldn’t come at the cost of user experience, as it is integral to maintaining both security and productivity,” Riemer added.

Besides generative AI, workers are being let down in other DEX areas. For example, one in two admitted to using personal devices to access work networks, one-third (32%) of whom doing so without their employers’ knowledge.

Looking ahead, besides factoring in security and privacy to the digital employee experience, Ivanti urges businesses to consider other basic internet hygiene factors that are often neglected, like using VPNs, zero-trust solutions and multi-factor authentication.