Young workers are more concerned than their older colleagues about how artificial intelligence will impact their jobs, highlighting growing anxiety as employers rush to adopt AI tools, a new survey reveals.

Global Survey Shows AI Skills Demand Soaring

According to Reuters, four in five workers globally say AI will affect their daily tasks, according to Randstad's latest Workmonitor report, based on responses from 27,000 workers, 1,225 employers and more than 3 million job postings across 35 countries. Job vacancies requiring "AI agent" skills have increased by 1,587%, signaling that chatbots and automation are rapidly moving into frontline roles.

"What we generally see amongst employees is that they are enthusiastic about AI … but they may also be sceptical in the sense that companies want what companies always want: they want to save costs and increase efficiency," Randstad CEO Sander van 't Noordende told Reuters.

Gen Z Feels Most Exposed To Automation

The report found that "Gen Z is the most concerned generation, while Baby Boomers show greater self-assurance and are the least worried about AI's impact and their ability to adapt." That pattern tracks with OECD research showing younger, lower-skilled workers hold a disproportionate share of jobs at high risk of automation, with about 27% of roles across advanced economies potentially affected.

Nearly half of workers in the Randstad survey fear AI will benefit corporations more than employees, even as 95% of employers forecast business growth this year, compared with just 51% of workers who share that optimism. An earlier Associated Press analysis from September 2024 found companies increasingly using AI to automate routine customer-service tasks rather than eliminate entire positions, a shift that still leaves many workers uncertain about long-term security.

Cooling Job Market Deepens Anxiety Around AI

The unease comes amid a cooling labor market with US employers having added about 584,000 jobs in 2025, the weakest gain outside a recession since 2003, according to government data.

Gen Z has previously reported to be graduating “into an AI wall” and facing a tougher hiring climate even before large-scale automation fully arrives, as economists and investors warn that young workers will need stronger skills and greater adaptability to get ahead.

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