Gen X Less Worried About AI In The Workplace Than Gen Z

Younger workers are more apprehensive about the potential impact artificial intelligence (AI) could have on their jobs, according to a new survey. D2L surveyed 3,000 full-time and part-time employees in the U.S. and found that 43% of all generations worry that another employee with better generative AI skills could replace them in their role in the next year. More than half of Generation Z workers (52%) and 45% of Millennials were worried about being replaced, while only a third of Generation X workers (33%) shared those concerns.

“Skills development – whether it’s on using generative AI more efficiently, or simply upskilling to stay ahead of change – is crucial for workers to keep up with the rapidly changing landscape of work.”

— Dr. Sasha Thackaberry, VP of Wave, D2L

Overall, the survey sought to find out how U.S. employees are using generative AI in the workplace, and how they see it impacting their careers into the future.

The survey found that 60 percent of workers want to use generative AI tools more frequently at work over the next year. Many respondents said they are already using AI both outside of work and on the job. Nearly half of respondents (49%) said they’re already using generative AI tools at least once a week at work — with around the same proportion (52%) saying they use these tools outside the workplace, However, more than a third (37%) said they never do.

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Just over half of all workers (56%) agree that an employee who uses generative AI tools to do their work more effectively should receive a higher salary.

Younger workers were more likely to say they planned to take multiple professional development courses over the next year. Around a quarter of both Gen Z (26%) and Millennial (24%) respondents said they planned to enroll in anywhere from six to 10 courses over the next 12 months. By contrast, only 12% of Gen X respondents said the same.

“What this new data suggests is that there’s an opportunity for employers to help workers better prepare themselves for the future and to give people the confidence that they can continue to make a meaningful contribution in their roles,” said Dr. Sasha Thackaberry, VP of Wave at D2L. “Skills development — whether it’s on using generative AI more efficiently, or simply upskilling to stay ahead of change — is crucial for workers to keep up with the rapidly changing landscape of work.”

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