Gen Z and millennial employees are using AI at work, regardless of whether or not you want them to, according to a new survey by Cox Business.
These digital-native employees are regularly using “AI agents to support their productivity at work,” according to the company, but are reluctant to reveal how much they’re relying on it.
The findings didn’t surprise workplace and remote work social media creator Corporate Natalie, known offline as Natalie Marshall, who told HR Brew they’re in line with DMs on social media and comments she’s read below her videos.
“The survey findings show that there’s actually a lot of congruency between these two groups. It might lead to more cross-generational harmony than we might think,” Marshall said. “There’s nothing worse than that feeling of being scared to talk to your manager…whether it’s your mental health at work, how you’re handling your workload, or how you’re feeling about these tools and tech, it’s important to escalate how you’re feeling.”
Cox found that about half of Gen Z and millennial employees are nervous to report how much they’re able to accomplish with AI. And they often use AI tools that aren’t administered by their organization, with 65% saying they are “more familiar” with their personal tools than those offered by their company.
Quick-to-read HR news & insights
From recruiting and retention to company culture and the latest in HR tech, HR Brew delivers up-to-date industry news and tips to help HR pros stay nimble in today’s fast-changing business environment.
MIT this month released findings that echoed the sentiment reported in the Cox survey. MIT’s Project NANDA’s State of AI in Business 2025 concluded that hampered enterprise AI adoption persists in business, while a “shadow AI economy” erupts as employees leverage unsanctioned tools to complete their work, Forbes reported.
“What if the IT department sought counsel in these early-career individuals and created more of an open door policy? Especially with Gen Z being such digital natives; they’re using all of these AI tools and offerings,” she said. “Asking them what they’re using [and] what we can apply to work, would prevent them from using their kind of rogue personal devices, which is what we’re seeing with this shadow IT concept in the survey.”
Marshall said that organizations can leverage what’s working on the individual level and license professional versions of their most beloved new tools. They just have to ask.
“A lot of times those are early-career individuals and the companies that I see tapping into these people and using them is where it actually leads to a great culture of AI-use,” she said.