This week, BlackBerry Limited released new research revealing that 66% of organisations in the UK are currently implementing or considering bans on ChatGPT and other Generative AI applications within the workplace. 69% of those deploying or considering bans said the measures are intended as long term or permanent, with risks to data security, privacy, and corporate reputation driving decisions to take action. 78% also voiced concerns that unsecured apps pose a cybersecurity threat to their corporate IT environment.
Despite their inclination towards outright bans, the majority also recognise the opportunity for Generative AI applications in the workplace to increase efficiency (53%) and innovation (44%), and to enhance creativity (42%). When it comes to using Generative AI tools for cybersecurity defense, the majority of respondents (74%) remained in favour, suggesting that IT decision makers don’t want to be caught flat-footed and give cyber criminals the upper hand.
Shishir Singh, Chief Technology Officer, Cybersecurity, at BlackBerry calls for organisations to take a cautious yet dynamic approach to Generative AI applications in the workplace, saying: “Banning Generative AI applications in the workplace can mean a wealth of potential business benefits are quashed. As platforms mature and regulations take effect, flexibility could be introduced into organisational policies. The key will be in having the right tools in place for visibility, monitoring and management of applications used in the workplace.”
The research also revealed that although 76% of IT decision makers agree that organisations are within their rights to control the applications that employees use for business purposes, 66% think that such bans signal “excessive control” over corporate and BYO devices.
For CIO’s and CISO’s, unified endpoint management (UEM) provides the required controls over which applications can connect to the corporate environment, ensuring enterprise security together with user privacy by containerising corporate data.
