82% Executives Expect AI to Boost Employee Retention — Deloitte Study

A recent Deloitte study, “Leadership, governance, and workforce decision-making about ethical AI,” surveyed 100 C-Suite executives to discover how organizational AI considerations apply to governance. As per the survey, 89% of C-level executives believe ethical governance in AI supports technological innovation.

Key takeaways from the survey:

1. Leaders mostly make decisions on ethical AI use: 77% of executives concurred that the workforce is equipped to make decisions on the ethical use of AI on their own. However, in practice, leaders are mostly calling the shots. Further, only 24% of the executives authorize professionals to make decisions independently about AI use in their organization.

However, 52% of executives at companies that earn over $1 billion in annual revenues indicate that professionals can make such decisions independently.

2. Ethics-based trainings: When asked about the organizational ethical AI governance framework, 76% of respondents said that their companies offer ethical AI training for their workforce. Further, 63% noted that companies provide ethical AI training for their board of directors. Training came up as the most utilized application of governance, as per responses.

3. Balancing innovation and regulation: The survey highlights that, regarding AI development and deployment, 62% of respondents prioritized “balancing innovation and regulation.” This was followed by ”ensuring transparency in data collection and use” (59%) and “addressing user data privacy concerns” (56%).

4. Upskilling to fill AI roles: Respondents state that 68% of leaders carry out internal training and upskilling programs to find, attract, and train professionals for new roles that demand ethical AI decision-making. However, 62% are still turning to traditional external recruitment pipelines (e.g., experienced hires) to find the right people.

5. Impact of AI on operations: The survey reveals that AI is expected to positively impact various operational areas, wherein 77% of respondents cite supply chain responsibility and 75% point to brand reputation, followed by organizational revenue growth (73%).

Furthermore, 82% expect AI to boost employee retention, emphasizing its potential to strengthen workforce stability.