Gen Z’s Complicated Relationship with AI

They’re not freaking out, but they’re not oblivious either

Image made with DALL-E 3

“Ugh, why is this even here?” When Snapchat rolled out its My AI chatbot in 2023, Gen Z users weren’t exactly thrilled. In fact, they rebelled – the app’s reviews flooded with 1-star ratings as teens and young adults balked at a virtual friend pinned to their chat feed​.

“Why can’t [AI] understand this? Why can’t they read my mind?”​ some complained.

This dramatic backlash to a friendly chatbot highlights the complex relationship between Gen Z and artificial intelligence. They’ve grown up surrounded by AI – from the algorithms curating their TikTok feeds to voice assistants doing homework Q&As, but do they actually care about the AI behind the curtain?

AI – Study Buddy or Shortcut?

One area where AI’s influence on Gen Z has been profound is education. Today’s students have a buffet of AI tools at their fingertips, and they’re not shy about sampling them.

Need a quick summary of a dense reading? An app can do that
Stuck on a calculus problem? An AI tutor might help

It’s no wonder a majority of college students (56%) report using AI for coursework. Even younger teens are experimenting: a late-2023 poll found 19% of U.S. teens have used ChatGPT to assist with homework​

Many teachers are aware – nearly 80% of students say at least one instructor has discussed AI’s role and ethics in class

Daniele, a 20-year-old computer science student, uses ChatGPT as a coding tutor. When he doesn’t understand a professor’s example, he’ll paste in the code and ask the AI for an explanation. “It gives me a much cleaner, well-prepared explanation... Having something else to really understand minor parts is helpful,” he says​. His university forbids using AI to write code for assignments (to prevent outright cheating), but allows it as a learning aid – a line many Gen Z students seem to respect.

Pew survey

In a Pew survey, 69% of teens felt using ChatGPT for research or learning new things is acceptable, but 57% said using it to write entire essays is not.

In that sense, Gen Z appears to grasp the academic ethical boundaries: AI as a study buddy = okay; AI as a shortcut to do your work for you = not cool.

Still, the temptation is there.

From ChatGPT-generated book reports to AI-authored college admissions essays, educators have seen it all. Reports suggest over a quarter of K-12 teachers caught students trying to cheat with AI in the past year​. In response, schools are updating honor codes and even designing assignments around AI (e.g., asking students to critique or improve AI-generated text) rather than pretending it doesn’t exist.

But is that really enough?

The cat’s out of the bag – for better or worse, Gen Z is learning with AI. The big question is whether this enhances understanding or just makes for lazier learners. Early signs show a bit of both: some students feel empowered by on-demand tutoring, while others risk becoming over-reliant on AI and weakening their own critical thinking.

Young Professionals and Their AI “Coworkers”

For Gen Z entering the workforce, AI is like a colleague who never sleeps. This generation is quickly making AI part of their work routine – in fact, Gen Z employees lean on AI even more than their managers in some cases​. Maybe this is something we’ll have to get used to as AI continues to evolve, especially since this generation is already using it regularly.

A 2024 survey by Google found that almost every Gen Z professional surveyed (93%) uses multiple AI tools at work each week​.

This highlights the growing influence of AI

They’re automating mundane tasks and supercharging their productivity: drafting emails in seconds, having AI transcribe and summarize meeting notes, or using tools like Otter.ai to automate note-taking. Many freely admit these tools are a “catalyst” for their early careers​. Rather than keeping AI a secret, over 50% share their AI-generated work tips with colleagues, and 75% have recommended AI tools to peers​

This feels like a new paradigm, one that encourages greater access—something that was almost unheard of in previous generations, which, we have to admit, had a more reserved and discreet nature.

However, not all Gen Z workers are riding the AI hype train at full speed. A global Deloitte study across 44 countries found 27% of Gen Z employees never use generative AI at work, and an additional 42% use it only rarely or sometimes.

In other words, about a quarter are power-users, but a solid chunk are cautious or lack opportunities to use AI on the job. Interestingly, those who do use it frequently tend to be both more optimistic and more anxious about AI’s impact. They’re more likely to say AI makes their job better (freeing up time, improving work-life balance) and to worry that AI could automate jobs and make it harder for entry-level folks to get a foothold

It helps that Gen Z is generally comfortable with constant tech upheaval. They’re not freaked out that “the robots will take my job” – or at least not as much as older folks. Only 18% of Gen Z say “I don’t trust [AI] at all” compared to 45% of Boomers who feel that way. In fact, about half of Gen Z (49%) flat-out trust AI to be objective and accurate​ – a trust level far above their parents’ generation.

This doesn’t mean Gen Z is naïve; rather, having grown up with Google, ChatGPT, and algorithms, they see AI as normal. As one young entrepreneur put it, “For me, it’s just another tool supporting me through my work… I’m not worried about it”. Many are even hopeful that mastering AI will open up new kinds of jobs and creativity.

Gen Z software engineers, for example, use AI coding assistants to prototype ideas quickly – essentially collaborating with AI to kickstart projects that would’ve been too daunting to tackle alone.

But this unchecked optimism—the drive to create endlessly or automate everything—could be a sign that key concepts like confidentiality and consistent critical thinking are being overlooked. Even so, that doesn’t diminish AI’s remarkable adoption and the many ways it’s being used by this rising generation.

Creativity and Entertainment: AI in Gen Z’s Fun Zone

It’s not all work and studying – Gen Z engages with AI heavily in their creative and recreational lives too.

The line between tech and art is blurring, and Gen Z is dancing on that line. Consider how they consume music and media: Spotify’s AI-driven recommendations and TikTok’s eerily spot-on “For You” page are core parts of Gen Z culture.

Unthinkable just a few years ago

These recommendation algorithms relentlessly learn their tastes to serve up the next favorite song or viral video. AI-curated content is the norm, to the point that having an app not magically know what you want feels antiquated. One Fast Company analysis noted that streaming services now even use AI to predict the next big music hits that Gen Z will love

On the creative side, Gen Z is enthusiastically experimenting with generative AI. Some are making art with tools like DALL·E, Midjourney, or mobile apps that turn selfies into fantastical AI-generated portraits.

Something most of us probably did when these AI technologies first hit the market

In fact, creativity is a big reason that 70% of Gen Z report using generative AI​ – whether to tweak a photo, remix a meme with an AI filter, or get writing inspiration. AI is like a new toy in the creative playground, helping novice creators produce slick content. Aspiring musicians can use AI to generate beats; amateur designers can whip up logos with AI art; storytellers can brainstorm plots with a chatbot.

Gen Z, ever the digital native, sees these tools as extensions of their creativity.

That said, not everyone is a fan of AI-generated content. Traditional artists and some Gen Z creators express skepticism – is using AI “real” art, or is it cheating? Gen Z is split: they love the personalization and creative boost, but they also value authenticity.

They grew up amid influencer culture’s polished fakeness, and many crave the real. This tension shows up in their media consumption too. Gen Z might binge an AI-recommended Netflix series, but they also made “authentic” platforms like BeReal popular in pushback against hyper-curated Instagram aesthetics. In the same vein, they’re excited that AI can enable new forms of content (like immersive VR concerts or AI characters in video games), yet they worry about losing the human element in art and entertainment.

The phrase “too perfect” comes up – some AI-generated music or images can feel uncanny. As one Gen Z respondent put it, “Perfect, personalized AI bots might breed dissatisfaction with flawed human friends… they’re just plain spooky”

Do They Care About AI’s Impact on Society?

With AI deeply integrated into their daily lives and countless use cases, one might assume Generation Z is constantly thinking about its broader social impact. But the reality is more complex.

On one hand, they’re not losing sleep over an AI-driven apocalypse. Something that can be reassuring in certain ways.

For them, AI is just another step in technological progress, not a sci-fi threat. Surveys show relatively low moral panic—only about 1 in 5 express major ethical concerns about AI, a sentiment similar across age groups. In fact, many don’t even notice AI at work, treating it as background tech.

On the other hand, when prompted, Gen Z does have opinions. They’re not blindly optimistic.

A Barna Group study found their dominant reaction to AI is curiosity (42%), followed by skepticism (29%) and caution (20%)—with excitement ranking lower. In short, they’re paying attention but remain wary. Deloitte reports that uncertainty is the most common emotion among Gen Z regarding AI’s impact on work and society.

They’re asking big questions: Will AI take jobs or create new ones? How do we ensure AI is ethical? Who regulates it?

Among young professionals, there’s a mix of hope and realism. Many believe AI can tackle major global issues like healthcare and climate change, citing its role in cancer detection and energy optimization. Yet, they also worry about job displacement, data privacy, and AI bias. Some Gen Z coders and entrepreneurs are actively working toward fair and inclusive AI.

Closing Thoughts

Gen Z treats AI like any other powerful tool—with a mix of excitement and caution. True to their sharp and savvy nature, they ask, “How can this make my life easier or more fun?” but also, “What’s the catch?”

Having grown up in a whirlwind of new technology, adaptation is second nature to them. AI is just another wave to ride.

Do they care about AI? Sure—but only as much as it affects the things they actually care about. For many, it’s background noise in the soundtrack of their lives, occasionally stepping forward for a solo. And when that solo hits the wrong note—whether it’s bias, privacy issues, or just plain creepy—Gen Z will be the first to call it out and shut it down.