Use of AI will expand to complex decision-making in the next three years
Fujitsu today released the “2024 Fujitsu SX Survey – Accelerating Sustainability Transformation with AI”. The report, which analyzes the results of a comprehensive survey of 800 C-level executives (CxOs) from 15 countries worldwide, aims to provide an understanding of global trends in Sustainability Transformation (SX), particularly the use of AI in SX and the impact of AI on business and societies. Since 2022, Fujitsu has been conducting surveys to examine and understand SX trends. The previous survey focused on business and sustainability value creation. This time, in collaboration with Oxford Economics, Fujitsu investigated how organizations are adapting to the rapid advances of AI, focusing on the use of AI within organizations and the unique challenges of AI for SX. The report offers valuable recommendations for actions that CxOs can take now to successfully implement SX using AI and other digital technologies.
Currently, business and society are undergoing enormous changes due to the rapid advances of digital technologies. Responding to sustainability issues such as geopolitical tensions and climate change remains a crucial management challenge. By actively utilizing the insights and knowledge gained from this survey, Fujitsu will continue to work with customers towards achieving its vision of becoming “a technology company that realizes net positive through digital services” by 2030.
Summary of survey results
1. Organizations ramp up AI initiatives, with AI expected to permeate all business operations within the next three years.
More than half of the CxOs surveyed recognize that responding to the rapid advance of AI will be crucial for future business success, indicating that they are strengthening their AI initiatives. 80% of CxOs aim to use AI for complex decision-making, including the enhancement of product and service functions and management decision support, both previously difficult to achieve with AI. This suggests that AI is expected to permeate almost every aspect of business, enabling radical transformation within the next three years.
75% of CxOs believe that collaboration between people and AI will progress, changing business processes significantly. To thrive in this era, employees will need to develop new skills that complement AI, such as critical thinking, correct goal setting, and applying sense-making to ensure activities serve the right purpose, enabling them to leverage AI to unleash their creativity.
2. Many organizations are in the early stages of AI introduction.
The level of AI adoption and progress varies significantly between organizations. According to the survey, around 40% of organizations have not yet developed an organization-wide AI strategy. Only 12% of organizations have committed resource allocation for the use of AI via organization-wide AI strategy and guidelines.
Figure 2. Level of AI engagement
3. AI is accelerating SX.
Over 60% of CxOs believe that increased use of AI will contribute to driving digital transformation and tackling societal challenges.In practice, pioneering organizations that have established sustainability visions and strategies, enhanced their organizational capabilities, and actively embraced AI-centric technologies have a higher success rate in converting sustainability initiatives into revenue and achieving business success compared to other organizations.
The following recommendations, based on survey results and the practices of pioneering organizations, aim to guide CxOs in successfully implementing SX.
1. Use AI to expand people’s skills and improve their well-being
2. Formulate and implement an AI strategy and guideline to maximize the potential of AI
3. Use AI to respond to sustainability challenges
4. Strengthen organizational capability to engage in sustainability as business
5. Build ecosystems oriented towards sustainability
