As workplaces adopt AI at varying rates, Gen Z is ahead of the curve

Artificial intelligence is transforming workplaces. After a year of rapid, innovative changes in AI technology, that's now a given. However, for younger people—particularly those in Gen Z aged 12 to 27—generative AI's disruptive force is particularly far-reaching.

AI is not only shaping how Gen Zers work, but also changing the entire arc of their careers—starting from the moment they apply for their first job.  

Shivam Nangia, a 21-year-old college senior in New Jersey who applied to an estimated 100 internships last academic year, said that AI was used to review most of his applications. This included AI programs that filtered his résumés by keywords and administered skill tests and AI algorithms that provided interview prompts and analyzed recordings of his two-minute video responses.

Nangia, like many members of Gen Z, is keenly aware of AI's risks—and rewards. While roughly 3 in 5 Gen Z members think the new technology will make it harder for them to enter the workforce, the same amount think that AI will free up their time and improve work-life balance, according to a 2024 Morning Consult poll on AI use by generation. 

Gen Z and millennials are also less skeptical of AI than their baby boomer and Gen X counterparts, according to a 2024 survey from the Barna Consulting Group. In part, generational differences in accepting the new technology may be related to familiarity: Just over a third of Gen Z and millennials say they "sometimes" use AI in their personal lives while about a third of Gen X and roughly half of Boomers aren't using it at all. 

WorkTango used survey data from Deloitte and other industry sources to analyze how millennial and Gen Z workers are responding to AI in the workplace as compared to different generations. 

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Most tech-savvy workers expect that AI will impact their careers

Polls show that Gen Z, whose entry into the workforce coincides with the rise of AI, tends to be values-driven. This generation prioritizes flexible schedules and mental health. For a generation that espouses working smarter, not harder, deploying AI to take over repetitive tasks can be a welcome way to save time and help maintain work-life balance.

For Nangia, who used AI in school to scan textbooks to "create a practice exam, study guide, or summarize a whole chapter," the new technology has brought both challenges and opportunities. He managed to make it past the AI-driven application process, which at times felt impersonal and stressful, and successfully landed a prestigious co-op internship where he leveraged his knowledge of AI. 

With his supervisor's approval, he automated the process of downloading new datasets, letting AI run the code commands and update a live dashboard, adding value to his team. In other instances, AI checked his work, editing his grammar on emails and troubleshooting buggy code. 

Whether companies are ready or not, Gen Zers like Nangia are bringing AI into workplaces in new ways. In a2023 Adobe workplace survey, just over a third of Gen Z respondents said their employers have guidelines on using generative AI, but half reported using the technology to assist with their work.

Having AI skills may put Gen Z ahead of the curve as they enter the workforce. A Massachusetts Institute of Technology global poll of more than 300 executives revealed that respondents believe AI has the potential to increase productivity and unlock new opportunities in industries across the board. However, it noted that industries like sales, marketing, customer operations, software development, and product innovation are where generative AI is poised to make the biggest impact. Creative industries, too, are being upended by AI, with technology augmenting current jobs and creating new ones at a rapid pace, according to a2024 World Economic Forum report. 

But despite lofty goals for AI implementation, the reality is that tech shifts take time. Meeting hardware requirements to store and support generative AI models, ensuring protections against cybersecurity threats, and implementing systems training make AI adoption an ongoing process, not an immediate fix. 

That's where millennials and particularly Gen Zers, who are adopting at lightning speed, may have the advantage. About 1 in 10 Gen Zers and millennials already use AI tools daily or multiple times a day, according to a YouGov survey of more than 1,000 adults. Another 23% and 17%, respectively, use it weekly or more than once a week.

For Gen Z, a generation that's demonstrated a willingness to learn and grow, understanding how best to use AI in new ways may present fresh opportunities. Developing "human-oriented skills" that can't be swapped out by an algorithm—think empathy, critical thinking, and resilience—may become key areas of skills development, according to a 2024 McKinsey report on upskilling and reskilling in the era of AI. These "soft" skills may give employees a leg up in workplaces that are navigating new ethical territory while eagerly adopting new technologies.  

That said, Gen Z's relationship with the new technology is complicated. Most Gen Zers and some millennials do not see generative AI as a threat, with nearly 3 in 5 saying they are not worried their jobs will be replaced by the technology. Yet over half of Gen Z and millennial workers believe that AI will require them to reskill and ultimately impact their career decisions, perhaps driving them to seek roles less vulnerable to automation, according to Deloitte's 2024 Gen Z and millennial survey. 

Some experts agree with their asessment humans aren't easily replaceable yet. "These [AI] tools should not be put in charge of anything where accountability is required," said Joe Amditis, associate director of operations for the Center for Cooperative Media at Montclair State University and author of two guides for using AI in local newsrooms. "Because if they can't pay a fine or if they can't go to jail or if they can't be punished or held accountable, then they don't need to be in charge of decisions that impact people's lives and livelihoods." 

Job seekers can look for companies that are clear and transparent about their approach to AI, according to a Society of Human Resources Management report on upskilling in the age of AI. Ensuring that workplaces promote learning and development around AI, and fostering an approach that connects employees from all areas of the organization can not only help workers navigate changing workplaces, but also find purpose and satisfaction—values important to Gen Z, according to Deloitte.  

To stay relevant in a shifting job market, Amditis advises trying free AI tools to learn more about how they work. Another way workers can distinguish themselves is by developing an eye for AI-generated scams. Amditis predicted an uptick in more sophisticated fake videos and scams, such as using AI to clone a loved one's voice and ask for money. 

"It's not just something that the boomers are susceptible to," Amditis added. "If you don't understand how these tools work, then there's really nothing that's preventing them from being used on or against you."

Gen Z is poised to be the first generation to have AI tools spanning the arc of their careers. Just as they've seen so far, the risks—and rewards—of this new technology will continue.  

Story editing by Carren Jao and Alizah Salario. Additional editing by Kelly Glass. Copy editing by Paris Close.

This story originally appeared on WorkTango and was produced and distributed in partnership with Stacker Studio.