From polishing emails and writing performance reviews to summarising meetings, generating slide decks, scripting social media posts, and even helping draft responses to sensitive conversations with their managers, Gen Z has embedded generative AI into nearly every corner of their workday. It’s not just a tool anymore, it’s become the first stop for getting anything done.

In fact, as the 2025 Gen Z and AI in the Workplace Report by Resume Genius reveals, 60% of Gen Z workers say AI helps them complete tasks faster and with less effort, and more than half (57%) routinely run their work through AI before sending it to managers. For a generation that grew up with smartphones and instant answers, AI fits seamlessly into their way of thinking.

But it comes with risks. The same report reveals that 28% of Gen Z workers have passed off AI-generated work as their own, without edits, additions, or checks. Moreover, over 40% of those say they would do it again. That means at many workplaces today, AI isn’t just being used as a support tool, but trusted blindly, and sometimes misused too.

Consider this – an analyst tasked with summarising data might copy-paste AI-generated insights into a report without verifying the numbers. A new hire could use AI to write a difficult email to a client, without understanding the context. These aren’t just shortcuts, they can lead to mistakes, miscommunications, or legal risks.

What’s emerging is a pattern of high adoption but low discernment, a generation fluent in prompting AI, but not always equipped to question or correct its outputs. They may be skilled users, but they are not necessarily responsible ones. And that’s where the real problem lies.

Confidence without competence? The digital literacy dilemma

On the surface, Gen Z seems well-equipped to lead the AI revolution. A 2025 Cox Business Workplace Technology Survey found that about 85% of Gen Z employees feel confident adopting new tech. But that confidence may be misleading. The study reports that 69% of Gen Z feel overwhelmed by the number of tools they’re expected to use, and fewer than 10% feel they have any real influence over tech decisions in the workplace.

This points to a troubling mismatch: Gen Z may know how to operate AI tools, but they may lack the critical training or authority to understand their risks, or even question them. When confidence in technology exceeds understanding, it sets the stage for misuse.

AI over managers and colleagues?

The 2024 TalentLMS report found that about 45% of Gen Z workers say they get better guidance from AI than from their managers, while over 45% prefer asking AI over coworkers for work-related questions. And this doesn’t stop at advice, at least 39% say they interact less with colleagues because of AI.

These habits are reshaping collaboration norms in dangerous ways. AI can provide information, but it can’t offer mentorship, interpersonal feedback, or help workers build soft skills. Over time, this shift risks undermining the very foundation of workplace learning and team culture.

Even though over 65% of Gen Z employees say AI improves their skills, TalentLMS also reports that 19% feel AI has had a negative impact on their skills, and 40% believe AI is robbing them of valuable growth opportunities by doing tasks they could have learned from.

Overreliance is already here

What began as a productivity boost is quickly turning into a dependency. The Deloitte Global 2024 Gen Z and Millennial Survey found that over 70% of frequent AI users believe automation will eliminate jobs, and at least 59% of Gen Z say they’ll need to reskill because of AI.

More disturbingly, Resume Genius found that 18% of Gen Z workers would quit their job if AI tools were banned, while about 40% automate tasks without informing their managers. This isn’t just early adoption, it’s full-blown reliance.

Yet training and support remain shockingly low. According to Deloitte, only 17% of Gen Z workers have completed AI-related training, while a quarter have no intention of doing so at all. Even though about 60% agree that AI integration should come with soft skills training (TalentLMS), soft skills still rank at the bottom of the list when Gen Z identifies critical workplace skills.

Tools without training: The organisational blind spot

It’s not only Gen Z that’s underprepared. Organisations themselves are failing to keep pace. Deloitte reports that about 35% of C-suite and director-level leaders admit their companies are not prepared to address AI-related talent concerns, and less than half are actively educating their employees about AI's potential or risks.

The result? A workplace in which young employees are racing ahead with AI tools, but without ethical guidelines, oversight, or skill development frameworks to keep that acceleration safe and sustainable.

Meanwhile, the Cox Business survey highlights another major issue: 65% of Gen Z frequently or occasionally turn to personal tools (Shadow IT) because workplace tech falls short. This introduces risks not only for compliance and data security but also for workflow fragmentation.

AI-driven communications breakdown

AI may be improving task efficiency, but it’s silently weakening communication structures. Email remains the top method for learning new tech (53%, according to Cox Business), while fewer than 20% of Gen Z workers prefer in-person or live virtual training. That lack of interpersonal engagement spills into IT support and broader work relationships.

In this new AI-mediated environment, communication and collaboration are no longer a default part of the workflow. Instead, they’re becoming optional add-ons, and that’s a major issue for teams that rely on human connection to innovate, solve problems, and grow.

Four studies, one troubling trend

Taken together, the four studies mentioned above reveal a complex, and at times troubling, picture of Gen Z’s relationship with AI in the workplace.

The Resume Genius report shows just how deeply AI is embedded in Gen Z’s daily workflow, helping them move faster, polish their work, and stay on top of tasks. But beneath that productivity boost lies a warning sign: over 25% admit to passing off AI-generated work as their own, and at least 23% report mental health strain from AI use. This isn’t just a case of useful tools; it’s growing overreliance, and sometimes misuse.

The Deloitte study echoes this concern, showing that the more Gen Z uses AI, the more anxious they feel about being replaced by it. Training lags behind adoption, and many companies remain unprepared to support AI-related upskilling or ethical use, despite widespread enthusiasm.

The Cox Business 2025 survey adds another layer: Gen Z may be tech-savvy, but two-thirds feel overwhelmed by the number of tools they’re expected to use, and only a fraction feel they have any say in tech decisions. It reflects frustration, rather than innovation.

Finally, TalentLMS exposes the long-term risk: Gen Z’s preference for AI over colleagues is eroding communication, collaboration, and mentorship — all foundational elements of workplace success.

Therefore, Gen Z is not failing at AI, but many are using it without critical filters or balance. Unless companies address the five growing gaps between speed and learning, tech and mentorship, fluency and judgment - we risk raising a workforce that is efficient, but disconnected.

AI isn't the threat. Unquestioned dependence on it is.