
At least 90% of U.S. business leaders are encouraging AI use or are confident in their ability to effectively harness its benefits, putting the country ahead of other leading nations in AI transparency and investment.
The BSI Trust in AI report, which surveyed 1,000 business leaders across nine countries and seven industries also found 90% of U.S. businesses feel a responsibility to promote and support innovation, recognizing their role in fostering trust in AI within their broader ecosystems.
Additionally, the report shows nearly six in 10 (59%) of U.S. leaders prioritize involving employees in testing and trialing new AI tools, followed by 55% of German leaders. This finding contrasted sharply with only 31% of leaders in the UK and Japan.
Companies leveraging AI said they plan to use it for operations (74%), marketing (64%), sales (56%) and enhancing customer experience (58%) while recruitment and performance management are the key areas of AI use for internal operations.
In terms of training, U.S. business leaders ranked second among the nine surveyed countries, with 61% valuing the importance of training employees to deploy AI tools safely, ethically and effectively.
This places the U.S. just behind India (71%) and well above the global average of 54%.
Mark Brown, global managing director for digital trust consulting for BSI, explained enthusiasm for AI in the U.S. is high, however pressures continue to mount in terms of investments.
“American businesses can keep in mind that a successful tech implementation journey is created and maintained by a balanced strategy shrouded in a trust-first approach,” he said.
Brown said that high level of accountability that U.S. leaders have claimed will be critical in ultimately ensuring their safe development and deployment of AI.
U.S. Focus on Long-Term Goals
“American organizations focusing on the long-term goals, guided by a balance of technology and business strategies designed to minimize digital risk, whilst accelerating business operational efficiency and opportunity, will be well placed to effectively integrate AI into their operations,” he said.
Once these foundations are in place, businesses will have the tools to optimize and evolve their strategy as technology continues to advance.
While U.S. leaders stood out as being more transparent and accountable around their AI development, they also tended to be among the more cutthroat leaders across all markets.
That’s reflected in nearly two-thirds (65%) of U.S. business leaders agreeing innovation is more important than protecting existing jobs, which many might see as a sign of a country that values technological advancement over its workforce.
“This will be a story to watch moving forward,” Brown said. “Harnessed correctly, AI can positively shape the future of work, boosting productivity and enhancing worker well-being.”
He said in the coming years, businesses will be able to show they are truly prioritizing accountability by shaping trust across their workforces and other stakeholder ecosystems so AI can be a force for good.
“That’s not to say that the development of AI comes without risk,” he added.
Transparency and Trust
To ensure that the technology continues to live up to the hype, Brown recommended business leaders emphasize openness, transparency and trust.
That means clear communication with all stakeholders, from low-level employees to boards and directors, around an organization’s plan for innovating safely with AI.
“Once an organization is aligned from top to bottom on its mission with AI, it is significantly more likely to see that mission achieved — and the hype realized,” Brown said.
The BSI report follows a recent survey from The Upwork Research Institute indicating the promise of AI remains unfulfilled and may contribute to workloads and employee burnout, with 38% of respondents admitting they feel overwhelmed by the expectation to use the technology at work.