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New research finds 95% of workers would let AI avatars of themselves perform tasks in meetings, but in-person interactions are here to stay

New research finds 95% of workers would let AI avatars of themselves perform tasks in meetings, but in-person interactions are here to stay

  • 95% of respondents would allow an AI avatar to perform tasks in a virtual meeting for them
  • 34% of executive leaders would allow an AI avatar to make decisions on their behalf
  • Concerns linger for 88%, with 41% worried that it could misrepresent their personality or communication style affecting their career progression
  • For Gen Z in particular (50%), AI avatars in the workplace would make them want to meet people in person more

Global, 16 October 2024 – Leading global business travel management platform, TravelPerk, today released new research on attitudes towards the potential introduction of AI avatars in the workplace. Despite hesitations about the new technology, 95% said that they would be willing to allow an AI avatar to perform tasks in a meeting on their behalf.

These insights are based on global research commissioned by TravelPerk in the United Kingdom, the United States, Germany and Spain, of 4,000 business travelers. 

Employees prefer to assign admin-focused tasks in meetings to AI avatars, such as reminding them of deadlines (61%) or scheduling meetings (53%) which can then enable them to focus on more ‘human’ interactions. There is also some openness to letting avatars handle some ‘human’ interactions, such as delivering a presentation (34%) and answering questions (36%) based on pre-set guidelines or historical behavior. 

Notably, executive leadership are more willing to do this than their junior colleagues, with over a third (34%) saying they would allow an AI avatar to make decisions for them in a meeting compared to 9% of entry level employees. Furthermore, remote workers are less likely (13%) to use this technology for decision-making than their onsite colleagues (23%).

However, 88% have concerns about having their own AI avatar in the workplace. The most significant worry, raised by 41% of respondents, is that it could misrepresent their personality or communication style, leading to potential misunderstandings or damage to professional relationships. And despite perceived efficiency gains (47% said it would boost their productivity), only 28% believe the adoption of this technology would result in fewer working hours, while 22% were concerned it would limit their career growth opportunities.

"There is no question that AI is the future, innovative companies including us use it to automate manual tasks so that customer-facing teams can offer a better human experience. We’ve also harnessed the power of AI to build efficiencies throughout our business operations”, said Avi Meir, CEO and co-founder of TravelPerk.

“The hype around AI Avatars that it could replace human connection is worrying as I actually think the opposite is true - it should instead increase the need for real life interaction. The real challenge is to integrate AI technology in a way that complements, rather than competes with, the human connection.”

This craving for human connection remains clear, despite a willingness to give responsibility to AI avatars. 42% said doing so would make them more likely to meet people in person, and nearly a quarter (23%) of Gen Z respondents said it would make them go into the office more often.

“At TravelPerk we invest in in-real-life moments to foster trust, genuine connection and belonging within our employee community,” said Felicia Williams, VP of People at TravelPerk. “If you are a leader planning to introduce AI avatars into your workplace, my advice is that you invest time in ensuring your employees don’t feel threatened by it but instead view it as a really useful productivity-enhancing tool and not a human replacement.”

Her top tips for employees who might be nervous about the prospect of AI avatars are:

  • AI avatars can never fully replace in-person professional interactions - Future proof your career by developing your softer skills such as critical thinking, communication, compassion and relationship building
  • Stay curious and question AI outputs – As AI avatars become part of the workplace, don’t just accept them at face value. Think about how you can best interact with the tool, challenge the output, have an open mind and think about how it can complement your role and help you work smarter, not harder
  • Use AI avatars to enhance, not replace your productivity – Approach AI avatars with an open mind and think about how they can make your work day more efficient. Use the technology to focus more on menial tasks that then enable you to focus on more joyful, strategic and creative tasks that drive value in your role.

Notes to the Editor

*AI Avatar

An AI avatar is a digitally generated representation of yourself, created using artificial intelligence to replicate actions through learned behavior. These avatars will be able to join video calls on your behalf, give suggestions or even make decisions for you.

Methodology

In partnership with market research agency OnePoll, TravelPerk surveyed 1,000 business travelers in the United Kingdom, the United States, Germany and Spain (4,000 in total). The surveys were conducted from September 13th-16th 2024. Data splits were provided based on: Region, Generation, Working pattern, Company size, Seniority, Sector, Function.

UK and US specific data is available upon request.

About TravelPerk

TravelPerk is a hyper-growth SaaS business travel platform and a pioneer in the future of business travel. Its all-in-one platform gives travelers the freedom they want whilst providing companies with the control they need. The result saves time, money, and hassle for everyone.

TravelPerk has industry-leading travel inventory alongside powerful management features, 24/7 customer support, state-of-the-art technology, and consumer-grade design, all of which enable companies and organizations worldwide like Red Bull, GetYourGuide and Aesop to get the most out of their travel.Backed by world-class investors like SoftBank Investment Advisers, General Catalyst, Kinnevik, Greyhound Capital, Felix Capital, Target Global, LocalGlobe, Spark Capital, and Heartcore — investors in some of the most disruptive companies in tech, including Airbnb, Uber, Slack, X (Twitter), Trello, Zalando and Delivery Hero — TravelPerk is reinventing business travel with an end-to-end solution that works. Visit www.travelperk.com for more information.