Canva research shows Australians lead the world in believing generative AI is boosting creativity

Australian firms feel they are on top of the generative artificial intelligence wave but many are yet to establish firm data privacy rules around the technology, according to a new global survey conducted by graphic design powerhouse Canva.

The Sydney-based unicorn, which has introduced AI-powered image generation, text creation, and translation services to its graphic design suite, on Thursday released the results of a new global survey of some 4,000 marketing and creative leaders.

Surveying business personnel from Australia, the US, the UK, France, Germany, Spain, Brazil, Mexico, and India, Canva found an astonishing 97% are comfortable with AI adoption, and 80% agree it will allow them to save time on busywork.

Worldwide, 49% of respondents said the technology will become better at developing imagery than humans in the next five years, underscoring the potentially ground-shaking consequences for vast swathes of the creative industry.

In a global context, Australia is a leader in how its marketing and creative directors approach the technology.

Some 77% of Australian respondents agreed that generative AI is increasing their team’s creativity, the highest positive reading of any nation included in the survey.

The global average rating was 69%.

Critics of the technology state generative AI produces derivative content and runs the risk of infringing the copyright of existing material, and the Canva report itself notes that 17% of respondents worldwide believe it can inhibit the creation of original ideas.

However, the report broadly positions the technology as a net positive for creative output.

Australians are also the least “overwhelmed” by the pace of generative AI development, the survey said.

More than half of local respondents (55%) said they are overwhelmed, compared to a global average of 65%.

At the same time, only 41% feel pressured to keep up with the rapidly developing technology, compared to 54% globally, suggesting Australians are slower to adopt the view that onboarding generative AI systems is necessary to keep up with the competition.

Australia also lags behind the global average when it comes to security guardrails around the technology.

In big-picture terms, three-quarters of global businesses are concerned about how generative AI could interact with customers, companies, and personal data.

Yet only 50% of Australian firms engaged in the use of generative AI have set firm data privacy guidelines around its use, compared to the global average of 55%.

Only the US ranked lower in terms of internal privacy rules.

Given the rapid rise of generative AI technology from theoretical plaything to real-world applications, regulatory standards are yet to fully keep up.

The percentage of Australian firms with solid ground rules may change in the coming months, after the Department of Industry, Science, and Resources delivers its long-awaited report into the responsible use of AI.