How about an AI boss? – SA adopts ChatGPT for work, school and romance

South Africans are getting used to having artificial intelligence (AI) as a team member at work and a trusted assistant in their personal lives.

A study conducted by Kaspersky with the aim of looking at people’s confidence in Al has revealed that a growing number of people are starting to trust the digital tool which is also taking up new roles in different fields.

Professionally, some want to take it further with an even closer relationship.  Sick of their human bosses, and considering whether AI would see them roll their eyes or only notice if their work is properly done on time, 42% of respondents in a new study say they think AI could be a fairer boss because it would be impartial.

10 000 respondents participated in the survey called Excitement, Superstition and great Insecurity – How global Consumers engage with the Digital World.

The respondents, aged between 18 and 40 years old, are from different parts of the world including the United Kingdom, Germany, South Africa, and Italy, amongst others.

ChatGPT gets 2 billion visits in a month

Vladislav Tushkanov, Machine Learning Technology Research Group Manager at Kaspersky says ChatGPT received 153 million visits in the first month after it launched in November 2022. The popular chatbot received more love from people around the world as visits peaked at two billion in April 2024.

“We are witnessing the growing adoption of AI as a valuable tool, assisting people in diverse areas. Beyond traditional applications, such as processing and analysing data, AI is being entrusted with more intriguing personal roles, including romance, education, and work,” says Tushkanov.

The survey showed that 68% of respondents in South Africa believe their children will receive their education through virtual experience and Metaverses in the near future.

ALSO READ: Can AI worsen SA’s high unemployment rate?

More people in SA using AI

The survey continues to show that in South Africa the digital tool is being trusted and does deliver on what consumers want. 64% of SA respondents believe that AI has become an unavoidable tool in their lives.

52% of the respondents have a positive outlook on AI’s potential to bring about many other exciting opportunities and improve the future for everyone.

“A large portion of respondents admit that AI has capabilities in creative areas – 53% believe AI is a credible producer of works of art,” adds Tushkanov.

60% voted for how they would like to make use of AI to run their daily lives more efficiently, as they consider the tool a reliable companion and an assistant in everyday life.

ALSO READ: Is South Africa ready to handle AI?

AI set to change relationships

Respondents said they believe due to the impact of AI, human relationships will change. 63% believe virtual characters will start replacing real-life partners.

While 56% said they are ready to make use of an AI chatbot to have conversations online, 33% used the digital tool to help them find the right partner on a dating app.

Tushkanov believes AI technologies continue to evolve, and their potential to drive innovation and improve human experiences becomes even more profound.

“However, this advancement also brings unexpected risks and sophisticated threats, ranging from overreliance — putting too much trust in AI advice — to AI-generated phishing, deepfakes and identity theft. These are the challenges that we need to address across multiple levels,” adds Tushkanov.

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