ChatGPT & Co.: One in six companies plans to use AI for text generation  

• More than half see biggest digital revolution since the smartphone
• Berg: "Ban discussion is going in completely the wrong direction".

Shortening a long text, summarizing the results of a meeting or writing program code to solve an IT problem - artificial intelligence for text generation like ChatGPT could soon find its way into many German companies. One in six companies (17 percent) is planning to use such AI applications, while another 23 percent have no concrete plans but can imagine using them. In contrast, 29 percent of companies rule out such AI use for themselves. One in four (25 percent) have not yet considered the question. No company has yet officially deployed such AI applications. This is the result of a representative survey of 603 companies with 20 or more employees in Germany commissioned by the digital association Bitkom. "Current developments in artificial intelligence enable us to interact directly with AI for the first time and create completely new areas of application across all industries," says Bitkom President Achim Berg. "In the future, AI will be as much a part of everyday office life as PCs are today. AI has the potential to cushion the massive impact of demographic developments and the worsening shortage of skilled workers."

The public debate about ChatGPT has reached the very top of the company. No one in management or on the board of directors says they have not heard or read anything about ChatGTP. 16 percent have heard something, but do not know exactly what it is. 41 percent have a rough idea and 42 percent can even explain well what the topic is about.

The majority of companies see artificial intelligence for text generation as the biggest digital revolution since the smartphone (56 percent), but 4 in 10 (40 percent) also see it as hype that will soon pass. Nevertheless, 7 in 10 (70 percent) expect AI for text generation to be part of everyday working life in the future and therefore more knowledge about AI needs to be taught in schools and training. Opinions differ as to what impact generative AI will have on the job market. Around half (51 percent) think that fewer staff might be needed, and 40 percent even believe that certain professions will no longer be needed. 44 percent expect employees to be relieved of routine work. A majority of 58 percent see themselves facing new challenges, for example in data protection. Three quarters (74 percent) also share the opinion that AI applications for text generation are making us increasingly dependent on tech companies outside Germany. Berg: "We need to drive technological development in AI in Germany and develop a practicable set of rules for its use in Europe and worldwide. The current ban discussion, as initiated by the Federal Data Protection Commissioner, is going in completely the wrong direction."