The increasing use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) was analyzed in a recent report by OpenText. The survey found that 39% of consumers use generative AI at least weekly, but significant privacy concerns persist, especially among parents. Additionally, while consumers have taken steps to protect their personal information, 27% use privacy tools and settings to protect workplace information when using generative AI.

According to the report, 22% of respondents aged 20-30 and 25% of those aged 31-40 have never used generative AI, compared to 41% of respondents aged 41-50. Over half (56%) expect to increase AI usage in the next year, while nearly two-thirds (63%) expect growth in five years. Yet, 20% of respondents aged 41 to 50 years old don't use generative AI tools and never will.

Ninety percent of respondents are concerned or neutral about AI systems collecting their data, with two-thirds expressing concern. According to the report, privacy tools and settings to protect data collection from generative AI systems are used more in personal life than in the workplace. When asked if they have taken steps or used privacy tools and settings to protect personal information when using generative AI, 43% of respondents reported using privacy tools and settings, 32% are considering it, 16% do not know how to protect their information and 9% do not and are not concerned.

Twenty-seven percent of employed respondents use privacy tools and settings to protect workplace information when using generative AI. For those who do use privacy tools and settings in the workplace, the most popular tools include password managers (64%), antivirus software (63%), VPNs (62%), ad blockers (61%), and identity theft protection (57%).

According to the report, 76% use strong, unique passwords, 69% regularly update software and 64% use two-factor authentication to safeguard their data. Over three-quarters of parents (77%) are concerned about their children's privacy when using generative AI tools. About half (49%) of parents are very concerned, and 8% are not concerned. A majority of parents (52%) monitor their children's activity when using AI, while others rely on parental controls (50%) or educate their children on privacy (45%). When generative AI systems are compared to video games for collecting and using their children's personal data, 85% of parents are more concerned about generative AI or equally concerned about generative AI than video games.