Lack of skill and fear of job losses are slowing down businesses using artificial intelligence (AI) to transform their operations, a technology consultancy says.Datacom surveyed more than 200 business leaders in organisations of more than 100 employees and found 91 percent were using AI.But only four percent were using it to transform their core operations.Datacom director of AI Lou Compagnone told Checkpoint she was not surprised at the precautionary approach."Organisations are going gung ho on adoption but not thinking strategically about AI and the impact on people and processes in their organisation," she said.Nearly two-thirds of respondents thought New Zealand should introduce specific AI legislation and controls.The survey also found 74 percent said they would support a body like Australia's Office of AI to manage the development of mandatory standards.Compagnone said businesses were adopting AI, but not adapting it to the organisation."How can we do things completely differently now, because of AI?"She said organisations needed to make sure workers had the skills they needed to use AI - and dedicated AI leaders needed to be appointed, rather than AI management tacked on to other roles.Compagnone said only 22 percent of organisations had dedicated AI officers, compared to 42 percent of Australian businesses.