Artificial Intelligence (AI) adoption is not without risks. Concerns range from job displacement to unreliable outputs and overhyped vendor claims. This article examines the most pressing risks identified by maritime professionals and the opportunities to mitigate them.
Concerns About Job Displacement
Perceived risk: AI will replace jobs and lead to layoffs.
Opportunity: AI will enhance efficiency, create new roles and allow people to focus on higher-value, skilled tasks.
Recent examples show that AI is shrinking some roles. For instance, large organisations like Salesforce announced that AI is doing 30-50% of the work. Our latest research in partnership with Marcura suggests that while optimism remains high, a small percentage (15%) are very concerned and a further 23% are a little concerned that AI could replace rather than assist maritime professionals in their roles.
One maritime consultancy manager who has been working in the field for more than 20 years said they are somewhat fearful and have concerns about AI’s impact. They also said, “In five years, it may well make me redundant (or looking for a new job!)”. A CEO at a technology company added, “There will be big changes; less people but no true revolution,” indicating a concern that fewer people will be needed in the maritime workplace.
Part of this anxiety stems from inflated perceptions of what AI can actually do. For instance, Amazon’s CEO Andy Jassy noted that the swift adoption of generative AI could eventually lead to a reduced need for employees in roles that are automated by the technology. But in practice, most AI tools still lack the nuance or judgement to truly replace people in maritime decision-making roles.
The Risk of AI Hallucinations
Perceived risk: Generic AI doesn’t understand the nuances of maritime operations or contracts, which can lead to hallucinations that are presented as fact.
Opportunity: Maritime-specific AI models trained on relevant data and real-world cases will be less likely to misunderstand concepts and provide hallucinations.
One of the biggest concerns reiterated in the research is that AI cannot yet understand the nuances of maritime operations or contracts. Many AI models are today trained on generic data, which can lead to hallucinations that are plausible-sounding but incorrect.
“The only thing with AI where I am most afraid is that it gathers so much information, true and false, that people may not realise what is reality and what is not,” Giuseppe Oliveri, Director at d’Amico told us.
Vendors’ Overhyped Claims
Perceived risk: Vendors set too high expectations and solutions fall short of their promises.
Opportunity: Vendors should set realistic expectations and take advantage of the opportunity to build maritime-specific AI models.
There’s a common misconception that AI is “plug and play,” but maritime is too nuanced for generic solutions. Vendors promising otherwise risk eroding trust by setting unrealistic expectations. Our survey found that 23% of respondents feel that vendors are generally untrustworthy, offering too much hype and insufficient results.
Takeaway: The real risk is not always the AI; it’s the hype, poor fit, and false expectations. Successful adoption depends on honest dialogue, domain-specific design, and continuous support.
For further insight into the areas highlighted in this article, download our thought leadership report, Beyond The Hype, created in partnership with Marcura.
