Gen Z Professionals Heavily Rely on Artificial Intelligence Tools
Published Date: 25 Jun 2025
A recent survey has shed light on the growing dependence of Gen Z professionals on artificial intelligence tools in the workplace, with a significant majority admitting that AI has improved their productivity and work quality, but also raising concerns about overreliance and potential negative impacts on mental health.
The survey, which polled around 1,000 full-time Gen Z professionals, found that 60% of respondents believed AI had helped them work more efficiently with less effort, while 56% said it had improved the accuracy and quality of their work. Additionally, 42% of respondents felt that AI had given them access to new opportunities on the job.
Breaking down the data by gender, the survey revealed that Gen Z men are more likely to use AI for various purposes, including brainstorming, analyzing large data sets, and creating digital content. For instance, 85% of men used AI for brainstorming compared to 67% of women, and 77% of men used AI to analyze data sets compared to 50% of women.
The survey also touched on the issue of rule-breaking, with 52% of men admitting to using AI to automate tasks without their managers' knowledge, compared to 30% of women. Furthermore, 21% of men said they did this often, whereas only 10% of women did. This raises concerns about the potential for AI to be used unethically in the workplace.
Experts have been warning about the dangers of overreliance on AI, which can erode individual creativity and lead to a loss of skills. The survey found that about 18% of Gen Z workers would need to resign from their jobs if AI was banned, and 28% had passed off AI-generated work as their own. This highlights the extent to which AI has become embedded in the work habits of Gen Z professionals.
Despite the benefits of AI, the survey also revealed some negative consequences, including the impact on mental health. About 23% of Gen Z workers admitted that using AI at work had negatively affected their mental well-being. Additionally, 49% of respondents were concerned that AI could lead to unfair or biased decisions that might affect them at work.
The survey also found that AI is forcing many Gen Z workers to learn new skills just to keep up with their work, with 40% saying they had to acquire new skills to remain relevant. Moreover, 36% admitted to feeling burnt out by the frequent updates to AI tools, and 38% relied on AI to manage their workload. This suggests that while AI is boosting productivity, it is also creating new challenges for workers.
The fear of job loss is also a significant concern, with 37% of respondents saying that AI is making them feel replaceable. As AI continues to evolve and become more integrated into the workplace, it is essential for professionals to develop skills that complement AI and focus on tasks that require human creativity, empathy, and problem-solving abilities.
In conclusion, while AI has undoubtedly improved the productivity and work quality of Gen Z professionals, it is crucial to address the concerns surrounding overreliance, mental health, and the potential for AI to be used unethically. By acknowledging these challenges and developing strategies to mitigate them, we can ensure that AI is used in a way that benefits both workers and organizations.