UK Execs: AI Now as Essential as Water and Energy
▼ Summary
– British business leaders consider AI as socially vital as water and electricity, with two-thirds of surveyed entrepreneurs ranking it equally essential.
– 93% of respondents advocate for rapid AI implementation, while 84% use AI as a conversation partner monthly and two-thirds trust it for automated life decisions.
– Nearly all respondents (96%) support global AI oversight by an independent body, with 94% preferring it to be government-led, and 55% cite infrastructure limitations as a barrier.
– AI investment is surging, with tech leaders like Google’s Sundar Pichai and Nvidia’s Jensen Huang comparing its impact to electricity or fire, calling it critical infrastructure.
– Despite optimism, figures like Geoffrey Hinton and Stephen Hawking warn of AI’s existential risks, with some predicting a 10-20% chance it could wipe out humanity within 30 years.
British business leaders now view artificial intelligence as fundamental to modern society, ranking it alongside essential utilities like water and electricity. A recent study by software company Endava reveals that two-thirds of surveyed executives consider AI just as critical to daily life as these basic necessities.
The report, which gathered insights from 500 entrepreneurs, found overwhelming support for rapid AI adoption. A staggering 93% of respondents urged faster implementation by both industry and government. Personal reliance on AI is also growing, 84% admitted using AI as a conversational partner at least monthly, while two-thirds trust it to make fully automated decisions affecting their lives.
Despite this enthusiasm, nearly all participants (96%) emphasized the need for oversight by an independent global body, with 94% preferring government leadership in regulation. Over half (55%) also raised concerns that current infrastructure limitations could hinder AI’s progress.
Matt Cloke, Endava’s Chief Technology Officer, described the findings as striking, highlighting the delicate balance between trust in AI and demands for safeguards. “People are already integrating AI into critical business and personal decisions,” he noted, “but they want proper frameworks in place before it becomes ubiquitous.”
The survey arrives amid skyrocketing AI investments and debates over its societal role. Tech giants have long predicted AI’s transformative potential, Google’s Sundar Pichai once claimed it would surpass the impact of electricity or fire, while Nvidia’s Jensen Huang called it the defining technology of this era.
Yet skepticism persists. Prominent figures like AI pioneer Geoffrey Hinton warn of existential risks, estimating a 10-20% chance AI could threaten humanity within decades. The late Stephen Hawking similarly cautioned that AI might become either humanity’s greatest achievement or its downfall.
As AI cements its place in global infrastructure, opinions remain sharply divided. Will it prove as indispensable as electricity, or as uncontrollable as wildfire? For now, UK executives are placing their bets on its transformative promise.
(Source: The Next Web)
