Generational Differences in AI Usage at Work

The newest tool that people are adding to their toolbox is artificial intelligence (AI). Humans have always tried to develop and apply tools that decrease laborious tasks and increase productivity.

AI tools such as ChatGPT and Gemini have become indispensable in our contemporary work processes over the last few years.

For knowledge workers, using large language models to perform time-saving tasks like research, report summarization, and idea generation has grown in popularity.

This list shows, by generation, the percentage of knowledge workers who use their own AI tools at work. These numbers are taken from Microsoft’s 2024 Work Trend Index Report, which polled 31,000 knowledge workers in 31 different nations.

The majority of knowledge workers across generations are already utilizing their own AI tools at work, even though businesses are still determining the best way to integrate AI into their formal systems.

The percentage of employees who use personal AI tools at work varies from 73% to 85% across all four generations.

Not surprisingly, 85% of Gen Z employees bring their own AI tools to work, making them the generation with the highest percentage.

After navigating school and their early professional stages during the emergence of generative AI, Gen Z has discovered that learning AI skills is becoming more and more important in order to satisfy employers’ increasing demands. But applying AI in the workplace is more complicated than it first appears.

Around 52% of those who use AI at work are reluctant to acknowledge using it for more crucial tasks, and 53% are concerned that doing so will make them appear replaceable, according to a Microsoft report.

According to a Pew Research Center study, 19% of American workers held jobs that are most likely to be impacted by AI in 2022, meaning that AI may replace or help with the most crucial tasks.

Workers in finance and information technology in particular are expected to be affected by AI in the greatest percentage of tasks.