A new survey by Channel V Media shows that Millennials have surpassed Generation Z and become the most active users of artificial intelligence in the United States.
The findings suggest that younger workers may be more cautious and anxious when engaging with the technology than their older colleagues.
Specifically, a June survey of 7,675 U.S. adults found that 47.2% of Millennials use generative AI tools such as ChatGPT, Gemini and Copilot, compared to just 44.3% of Gen Z adults.
Serhii Nikolaichuk, founder and CEO of Capital Index, said: “The biggest perception gap is simple. Millennials see AI as a team working for them. Gen Z sees AI as a competitor for their first job, and current recruiting data shows they are right.” newsweek.
why it’s important
New survey results suggest that discussions of artificial intelligence are becoming less about age and familiarity with technology and more about workplace experience and the perceived risks of these tools.
For years, businesses believed that Gen Z would lead the adoption of artificial intelligence because this generation was comfortable with technology. In reality, however, Gen Z may be more worried about how this technology will impact their jobs and society as a whole.
what to know
Experts say the new survey challenges the widely held assumption that Generation Z, often described as the first fully digital generation, will naturally lead the adoption of artificial intelligence.
But surprisingly, Millennials have actually become the most vocal supporters of artificial intelligence.
In addition to higher usage rates, Millennials are also more likely to view autonomous AI positively. Nearly 30% (29.6%) of respondents said agent AI is a good idea, compared with 22.6% of Gen Z respondents.
At the same time, Gen Z appears to be more concerned about the impact of the technology on work and daily life.
According to the survey, 14.8% of Gen Z respondents said they are worried that artificial intelligence will cause them to lose their jobs, which is almost double the proportion of Millennials (8.3%). Gen Z is also the generation most likely to be anxious about artificial intelligence, with 21.9% expressing concern.
“It’s not surprising to me that Gen Z is more concerned about job security,” said Nayan Goel, principal application security engineer and artificial intelligence researcher at Upgrade Inc. “They’re legitimate concerns.” newsweek.
“Generative AI excels at tasks we typically assign to early-career employees: drafting, summarizing, conducting preliminary research, and triaging support requests. Gen Z occupies the lowest rung of the career ladder, and AI targets that rung first.”
The new findings mirror a June 2026 Pew Research Center survey that found adults under 30 are more likely than older groups to believe artificial intelligence will have a negative impact on society in the future.
Why Millennials May Be Ahead
There may not be a single reason why Millennials are taking the lead in artificial intelligence; instead, there may be several factors at play.
For one, many Millennials are now in mid-career, and AI tools are increasingly integrated into their daily work.
Research has found that C-suite executives and business owners adopt AI at much higher rates than the average employee, so workplace exposure may be a key driver of AI use.
“Millennials who have been in the workforce for a decade know what quality is, so AI can accelerate their output without making them redundant,” Gore said. “Their judgment is a critical part that AI can’t replicate. Millennials have also learned the lessons of the dot-com bust, the smartphone revolution and the 2008 financial crisis. They’ve seen that early adopters of new technologies tend to become stronger.”
Millennials are also likely to be more focused on using artificial intelligence to increase productivity. Among all users surveyed, the most common applications for generating artificial intelligence are Internet search (53%) and research (48.3%).
At the same time, Gen Z’s relatively low adoption of advanced AI tools may reflect concerns about their jobs being replaced.
Entering the labor market during a period of rapid technological change, younger workers are more likely to be directly exposed to the risks of automation than older generations of workers who already have greater career stability and experience.
Ana Homayoun, early career development strategist and author of “Millennials,” said: “Millennials entered the workforce before artificial intelligence became part of daily life, and they have spent more than a decade making decisions, solving problems, and learning to interpret the people and situations in front of them. This experience has given them insights that enable people to use artificial intelligence well.” Getting into college isn’t enough: A new blueprint for success beyond grades, test scores, and college admissions,Tell newsweek.
Homayoun added that things are different for Generation Z.
“They are told that AI is the future and, at the same time, it could take away their future. Their concerns are understandable because AI is best suited for entry-level tasks, and these early jobs are where many of us first develop our judgment,” she said.
“If this job disappears, we have to ask the next generation where they are going to build it.”
Americans still have reservations
Despite growing adoption, the survey found that people of all ages remain skeptical.
While 40.6% of Americans now use generative AI, only 7.7% use agent AI systems that can perform their own operations. Only 17.6% of respondents said autonomous artificial intelligence is a good idea, 41.8% disagreed, and 40.6% were still unsure.
“Individual risk may look different. A more experienced employee may ask, ‘How does this help my job?’ Someone trying to establish themselves might ask, ‘Is there a place for me?'” said Stephanie Harris, CEO and founder of PartnerCentric, an expert on AI adoption. newsweek.
Privacy concerns were also a major concern for many Americans who participated in the survey. More than six-in-ten Americans (60.5%) say they are very or extremely concerned about artificial intelligence invading their privacy.
what happens next
The adoption of artificial intelligence is likely to continue to grow, especially in the workplace.
The next question facing companies may not be whether Americans will use artificial intelligence, but whether they are willing to let artificial intelligence act independently on their behalf.
For now, many young workers, especially, are still hesitant to take that step. Goel said if companies turn away all junior employees from switching to artificial intelligence, there could be significant repercussions in the future.
“If companies use artificial intelligence to eliminate entry-level positions, they may save money in the short term, but they will face a talent crisis in the future. You can’t hire senior engineers, analysts or security experts who have never had the opportunity to become junior engineers, analysts or security experts,” Goel said.
“The judgment that will allow millennials to use artificial intelligence with confidence is forged by the entry-level jobs we now automate.”
Newsweek reporters and editors used our artificial intelligence assistant Martyn to produce this story. Learn more about Martin here.
Please contact Newsweek editors about this story: Jason Lemon and James Debens