Nearly half of Gen Z employees say their managers don’t understand AI benefits, according to new research that highlights a growing disconnect between younger workers and leadership on workplace technology adoption.
The UKG study, conducted by The Harris Poll in April, found 49 per cent of employees aged 18-28 believe their bosses fail to grasp AI’s potential, even as 90 per cent of Gen Z workers expect the technology will save them time at work.
The findings reveal a stark generational divide in AI adoption across Canadian and American workplaces. While 70 per cent of Gen Z employees taught themselves most AI skills they use at work, only 58 per cent of Gen X workers and 40 per cent of Boomers did the same.
More than a quarter of Gen Z respondents believe AI could save them 60 to 89 minutes daily, compared to lower expectations among older generations.
Self-taught generation outpaces management
The research suggests younger employees are moving ahead with AI integration despite limited organizational support. Gen Z workers show significantly higher confidence in AI’s workplace benefits than Gen X (73 per cent) and Boomer employees (59 per cent).
“Every few decades, breakthrough technology fundamentally changes the way we do everything: from how we live, to the way we work, and beyond,” said Suresh Vittal, chief product officer at UKG. “How productive would we be without electric power, the assembly line, or mobile phones? Like those innovations, AI is quickly becoming ubiquitous and indispensable to work.”
The disconnect appears particularly pronounced at senior levels. In UKG’s 2023 study, only 26 per cent of C-suite leaders believed Gen Z employees had the best understanding of AI’s workplace applications.
Workers want AI for routine tasks
Despite generational differences in adoption rates, employees across all age groups share similar preferences for AI implementation. The survey of 1,146 employed adults found 84 per cent want AI to handle workplace processes, while 79 per cent believe it could free time for more important work.
However, trust remains limited to specific functions. Workers prefer AI for highly repetitive tasks (49 per cent), data-intensive duties (42 per cent), and time-consuming responsibilities (38 per cent).
Popular AI applications include summarizing company policies (83 per cent support), creating work schedules based on availability (81 per cent), and verifying paycheck accuracy (78 per cent).
Tool versus colleague mentality
The research indicates employees maintain clear boundaries around AI’s role in the workplace. Eighty-nine per cent view AI as a tool rather than a colleague, while 84 per cent believe it works best for automating tasks, not entire roles.
This perspective remains consistent across company sizes, from businesses with fewer than 75 employees (88 per cent) to organizations with more than 15,000 workers (85 per cent).
“Gen Z may be on the leading edge of AI adoption in the workplace, but this technology has the power to transform work for every generation,” Vittal continued. “From simplifying and automating everyday tasks to increasing productivity to unlocking more time for creativity, innovation, and personal connection, AI will reshape the employee experience in the years ahead.”
Growing workplace acceptance
The study shows increased employee optimism about AI compared to UKG’s 2023 research. Two years ago, more than half of employees had no understanding of how their organizations used AI. Today, 39 per cent of employed Americans express hope about AI’s potential to improve their roles.
“Since our 2023 study, we’ve seen a meaningful shift in employees’ trust in and understanding of AI at work,” said Vittal. “Today, about 2 in 5 employed Americans are hopeful about how it can improve their role—a sign that may point to increased transparency, dialogue, and education on the many effective uses for AI in the workplace.”
The research suggests organizations may need to bridge the gap between enthusiastic younger employees and cautious leadership to maximize AI adoption benefits across their workforce.
