Artificial intelligence is proving increasingly valuable to every industry vertical, with applications for everything from customer engagement to operational management. The potential gains with AI are significant, meaning companies that invest give themselves a serious edge over their competitors.

But that doesn't mean that all companies are jumping on board. In a survey of 1,000 UK business leaders and 4,000 employees by Microsoft, less than half of companies said they have a clear AI strategy in place. 

When it comes to the near-term impact of AI, it's clear that both employees and business leaders are certain change is afoot. However, where the biggest impacts lie is a matter of opinion, with attitudes varying by employment level. 

The ethical issues surrounding using AI, particularly to perform tasks completely unaided, results in some interesting perspectives on the acceptability of artificial intelligence for different purposes. Notably, a surprising number of business professionals believe there are some areas that AI should never touch - despite proven benefits in these areas.

Microsoft argues that what it describes as "healthy skepticism" is a very good thing for the development of robust AI strategies. This is because it ensures businesses proceed with caution, rather than being blinded by rampant enthusiasm for the technology.

However, not all applications of AI are met with the same dose of skepticism. Instead, different uses breed quite varied attitudes from business leaders and employees.