The slow and steady rise of AI in the workplace among young professionals
This cautious approach raised important questions about the gap between AI’s hyped potential and its adoption among young workers.
DASHVEENJIT KAUR23 Feb 2025 08:00pm
Photo for illustrative purposes only. Photo: Canva
According to Deloitte's comprehensive 2024 Gen Z and Millennial survey, which gathered insights from over 22,800 respondents across 44 countries, 27 per cent of Gen Z workers never use generative AI at work, while another 42 per cent use it only rarely or occasionally.
This cautious approach raised important questions about the gap between AI’s hyped potential and its adoption among young workers.
The findings challenge the common assumption that younger generations automatically embrace new technologies.
Instead, they revealed a more nuanced reality in which Gen Z approaches AI with both curiosity and caution.
UNCERTAINTY MEETS EXPERIENCE: THE GEN Z AI PERSPECTIVE
Uncertainty emerged as the predominant emotion when Gen Z thinks about generative AI, followed by equal levels of excitement and fascination at 22 per cent each.
This emotional mix suggested that young workers are not rejecting AI outright but are taking a measured approach to integrating it into their work lives.
What is particularly fascinating is how attitudes shift with exposure.
Among the quarter of Gen Z workers who frequently use AI, there is a marked increase in both optimism and concern.
These power users are significantly more likely to believe AI will improve their work efficiency and work-life balance, with 80 per cent expressing confidence in these benefits compared to just 58 per cent of Gen Z respondents overall.
However, this optimism comes with a heightened awareness of AI’s potential disruptions.
The data also revealed a striking paradox: those using AI most frequently are more attuned to its risks.
A substantial 71 per cent of frequent Gen Z users believed AI-driven automation will eliminate jobs, compared to 52 per cent of non-users.
This suggested that hands-on experience with AI does not simply breed comfort—it fosters a more nuanced understanding of both its potential and its pitfalls.
Compared to millennials, Gen Z showed slightly more openness to AI adoption, with 34 per cent of millennials never using AI at work versus 27 per cent of Gen Z.
However, both generations shared similar concerns about AI’s impact on workforce entry and job security.
This generational alignment suggest that fears of AI are not merely age-related but reflect broader workforce anxieties about technological disruption.
BEYOND HESITATION: REFRAMING GEN Z’S APPROACH TO AI
The survey also highlighted a critical gap in organisational support.
Only 51 per cent of Gen Z respondents reported that their employers provide training on AI capabilities, benefits and value.
This lack of formal training and guidance may partially explain the hesitancy to embrace AI tools more fully.
Organisations seeking to accelerate AI adoption may need to reconsider their approach to technology training and implementation.
As AI capabilities evolve rapidly, Gen Z’s cautious approach might actually prove prescient.
Their instinct to carefully evaluate and gradually adopt AI tools, rather than rushing to embrace them wholesale, could represent a mature understanding of technological integration that balances innovation with prudence.
The path forward lies in better support structures and education.
The survey indicated that familiarity breeds comfort—but not blind acceptance.
Organisations would do well to recognise that Gen Z workers are not just looking for exposure to AI but meaningful training that acknowledges both the opportunities and challenges these tools present.
As we look to the future of work, Gen Z’s measured approach to AI adoption might offer valuable lessons.
Rather than viewing their caution as resistance to change, we might see it as a call for a more thoughtful integration of AI into workplace processes.
Their perspective suggested that successfully implementing AI technologies requires not only technical training but also honest discussions about impact, ethics and long-term consequences.
The survey’s findings painted a picture of a generation that is not anti-AI but rather pro-responsible implementation.
As AI continues to evolve and reshape the workplace, Gen Z’s balanced approach may be exactly what organisations need to navigate this technological transformation successfully.
For organisations looking to increase AI adoption among younger workers, the message is clear: provide comprehensive training, acknowledge legitimate concerns and create supportive environments for experimentation.
Only then may we see Gen Z fully embrace AI’s potential while helping to shape its responsible implementation in the workplace of tomorrow.
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