Younger employees worried about getting replaced by AI-skilled staff

Younger employees in the United States are very concerned about getting replaced by someone who has better skills at generative AI, according to a new report.

A survey by D2L among 3,000 full-time and part-time employees in the US found that 43% of employees are worried that they would be replaced with someone with better AI skills in the next year.

By generation, the report found that Gen Zs (52%) are most worried, followed by their Millennial colleagues (45%).

Only 33% of Gen X employees are worried about getting replaced by an employee with better AI skills, making them the least concerned among all generations.

The findings come amid widespread use of gen AI across workplaces in the US.

Nearly half of the respondents (49%) said they're already using generative AI tools at least once a week at work, with 52% saying they also use it outside the workplace.

Upskilling underway with AI wave

Amid the widespread adoption of generative AI tools, as well as growing concerned of getting replaced, the report found that employees are now eyeing opportunities for upskilling.

Around a quarter of Gen Z (26%) and Millennial (24%) respondents said they plan to take multiple professional development courses over the next year. Only 12% of Gen X employees plan to do the same.

According to the report, these employees plan to enrol anywhere from six to 10 courses over the next 12 months.

Sasha Thackaberry, VP of Wave at D2L, said this opens an opportunity for employers to help their staff prepare for the future.

"Skills development – whether it's on using generative AI more efficiently, or simply upskilling to stay ahead of change – is crucial for workers to keep up with the rapidly changing landscape of work," Thackaberry said in a statement.

Her remarks reflect the growing importance of upskilling across the world in the wake of recent employment trends, such as the continued growth of generative AI, and concerns of a global unemployment uptick.