Workers in Saudi Arabia are concerned that robots and AI will take their job, according to IT specialists Kaspersky.
As AI tools such as ChatGPT and automated robots become more prevalent in the workplace there are concerns among the Saudi workplace that companies may use technology to replace humans.
While robots and AI can protect the safety of employees, there are worries that employers in Saudi Arabia could replace staff with automated processes and technology.
Saudi Arabia AI and robot fears
According to Kaspersky research, around half of people surveyed (48%) are afraid of losing their job to robots, and almost one out of four employees (23%) reported they heard of cybersecurity incidents with robots or automated systems in their company.
At the same time, many employees see the positive aspects that robotisation brings to them. Most often the respondents noted the benefits of automation to employees’ health, with 52% saying that robots free employees from doing physically demanding or dangerous work.
50% of people questioned in Saudi Arabia stated that robots increased the efficiency of production processes and brought economic benefits to the organisation.
51% believed robotisation opened opportunities for employees to retrain for more interesting and higher paid positions, and 31% said it reduced the likelihood of accidents due to the human factor.
Emad Haffar, Head of Technical Experts at Kaspersky, said: “Back in 2017 at the Black Hat conference, researchers Billy Rios and Jonathan Butts demonstrated how to hack an automatic car wash and what threat this poses to humans.
“They studied a PDQ LaserWash automatic car wash system, which can be connected to the internet, and found a way to hijack it. They even showed that it’s possible to slam the bay door into a car, which could endanger not only the vehicle, but also the driver.
“While some individuals and organisations are wary of automatisation and refrain from using it, others adapt their processes to get the most benefits from the newest technologies. As further business digitisation is inevitable, companies around the world need to explore how to make automated solutions more secure and efficient for business needs.”
To keep industrial computer systems protected from various threats, Kaspersky experts recommend:
- Conducting regular security assessments of IT systems to identify and eliminate possible cyber security issues
- Establishing continuous vulnerability assessment and triage as a basement for effective vulnerability management process.
- Performing timely updates of key components to the company’s IT network
- Enhance your response to new and advanced malicious techniques by developing and strengthening the incident prevention, detection, and response skills of your teams
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