UKG research says Gen Z employees embrace AI at work, however bosses don’t get it

UKG has released the results of a new national survey conducted by The Harris Poll. The research suggests the youngest generation in the workforce also stands out as the most eager and proactive in integrating AI into daily work. 90% believe AI will save them time at work, including 29% who think AI will save 60-89 minutes per day.

The findings point to a clear opportunity for employers across the US. Employees want AI to help them work smarter and more efficiently by taking over workplace processes for them (84%). Gen Z could be the key to accelerating adoption across the organisation.
Gen Z are more likely to embrace AI in the workplace

70% of Gen Z employees say they’ve taught themselves most of the AI tools they use at work. This is compared to 58% of Gen X employees (ages 45-60) and 40% of Boomer employees (ages 61-79). Moreover, more Gen Z employees (90%) believe AI could free up time in their day to enable them to focus on the more important or rewarding aspects of their job than Gen X (73%) and Boomer (59%) employees.
Notably, nearly half (49%) of Gen Z employees say their bosses don’t understand the benefits of AI.

In the 2023 UKG study on AI at work, only 26% of C-suite leaders said Gen Z employees had the best grasp on AI’s use in the workplace. The latest survey results suggest the opposite may be true. The 2025 study highlighted a potential disconnect between the junior members adopting the tools and senior leaders setting the strategy.

Key survey findings

• 84% of U.S. employees say they want AI to handle workplace processes for them.
• More than three-quarters (79%) believe AI tools could free up time to focus on more important or rewarding parts of their jobs.
• 70% of Gen Z employees (ages 18-28) reported teaching themselves most of the AI skills they use at work.
• Nearly half of Gen Z employees (49%) say their bosses don’t understand the benefits of AI.
• Despite widespread commitments by leaders to incorporate AI into their businesses, employees across all generations (89%) feel AI should be viewed as a tool, not a co-worker.

However, the latest UKG research favours Gen Z’s assertion.

“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. Ignoring it now is like choosing not to use a computer or the internet.”

“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,” he 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. The sooner organisations act on AI’s potential, the greater competitive advantage they’ll gain.”

All generations see value in AI.

While Gen Z may be at the forefront of teaching themselves the AI skills they use at work, employees of all ages share a strong preference for AI that supports rather than replaces human work.

• 84% of US employees agree that AI is best used to automate tasks, not entire roles.
  • This belief is consistent across companies of all sizes, from 88% of employees at businesses with fewer than 75 employees to 85% at companies with more than 15,000 employees.
• 89% say AI should be viewed as a tool, not a co-worker.
  “Since our 2023 study, we’ve seen a meaningful shift in employees’ trust and understanding of AI at work,” said Vittal. “Just two years ago, over half of employees had ‘no idea’ how their organisation was using AI. Today, about 2 in 5 employed Americans (39%) are hopeful about how it can improve their role. A sign that points to increased transparency, dialogue, and education on the many effective uses for AI in the workplace.”

Tasks employees are ready to hand off to AI

The report looks at the characteristics that US employees believe make a task appropriate for AI to take over. These range from highly repetitive or routine responsibilities (49%) to data-intensive duties (42%) to time-consuming tasks (38%). More than a third also point to tasks that require little judgment, empathy, or nuance (35%), or those that are often prone to human error (34%).

The research outlines the tasks employees would trust AI to handle are repeatable, data-driven, or prone to human error, including:

• Summarising company policies when they have questions (83%).
• Creating their work schedules based on availability (81%).
• Verifying their paycheck is correct (78%).
• Ensuring their timecard is accurate (78%).
• Reviewing and approving their time-off and shift-swap requests in real time (74%).

Enterprise Times: What this means for businesses

Over the past few years, the way enterprises work has evolved at an unparalleled pace. The emergence of AI represents the latest disruption in workplaces around the US. The study correctly suggests that younger employees are helping usher in this shift.

As AI continues to reshape today’s modern workforce, it is not surprising that Gen Z is emerging as the generation leading in its adoption. Most mainstream industry conferences with AI on the agenda are full of members of the Gen Z tribe.

UKG’s research finds employees eager for AI to take on repetitive tasks. Gen Z, in particular, see the most potential to save time. As a result, by supporting the ease with which Gen Z tends to embrace new technologies, companies can enable their entire workforce to learn the latest tools. Enterprises need to leverage them to support their roles, and free up time for more engaging, strategic work. In the UK, research by tech company Rokt came to a similar conclusion, with Gen Z appearing the most enthusiastic about using AI, particularly when shopping online.