Why Gen Z Workers Feel They Cannot Function Without AI

LeadershipLeadership StrategiesWhy Gen Z Workers Feel They Cannot Function Without AIByDr. Diane Hamilton,Contributor.Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. Curiosity expert improving engagement, innovation, and productivity.Follow AuthorJun 02, 2026, 03:00am EDTWhy Gen Z Workers Feel They Cannot Function Without AIgettyPrior to cell phones, my husband and I used pagers to communicate, sending codes to let each other know things like “call me.” Today, if I forget my phone at home, I immediately think about how dependent I have become on having it with me. That same kind of dependence appears to be happening with AI in the workplace, especially among younger employees. Research conducted by Workplace Intelligence in partnership with GoTo involving 2,500 employees and IT leaders found that 40% of Gen Z workers feel they cannot function without AI, while nearly half say relying too much on AI is making them less intelligent and half worry this dependence could hurt their long-term career prospects. Those findings support something many leaders are already starting to notice inside organizations because employees are becoming highly efficient at producing work while simultaneously becoming less confident in their own thinking and problem-solving abilities.Why AI Dependence Is Growing Among Gen Z WorkersgettyWhy AI Dependence Is Growing Among Gen Z WorkersI interviewed Dan Schawbel, Managing Partner at Workplace Intelligence several years ago, so I was interested in what his study showed. When Dan and I chatted in the past, we talked about workplace connection, curiosity, and the way technology can create isolation while giving people the illusion of connection. Much of that conversation centered around how employees were beginning to lose confidence in their ability to connect, communicate, and think independently. This new research feels like the next phase of that same issue because now many younger workers are beginning to question whet...