Millennials are emerging as the quiet but powerful leaders of the artificial intelligence revolution in the workplace, according to a new survey by Slack, a Salesforce company. One in three millennial workers, aged 28 to 43, now use generative AI tools daily, with a further 25% engaging with them several times a week.
This cohort not only adopts AI more readily than others but also shows greater understanding and trust in its capabilities—using it to boost productivity, automate routine tasks and focus on high-value work.
The surge in millennial-led AI adoption reflects broader industry trends. A recent Salesforce report found a 233% increase in daily AI use among desk workers over the past six months, with 60% now using such tools regularly. Millennials are leading this growth, slightly ahead of Generation Z, with 33% using AI daily compared to 28% of Gen Z. These users also report improved productivity, focus and job satisfaction, highlighting the tangible benefits AI brings to modern workplaces.
Generation Z, while close behind in adoption, mainly engages with AI in educational and personal settings. Surveys show that 93% of Gen Z knowledge workers use at least two AI tools weekly, including platforms like ChatGPT and DALL-E. However, this familiarity has yet to fully translate into workplace confidence, with many younger employees still adapting to AI in formal environments.
Lucas Puente, Vice President of Research at Slack, said Gen Z is “very comfortable with AI tools but hasn’t yet translated that familiarity into workplace confidence.” This opens the door for millennials, who bring deeper professional experience, to serve as mentors.
Jenny Simmons, Vice President and Global Head of Enterprise Learning at Salesforce, underlined the need for sound judgement in AI use: “Team members need to understand which tools they should be using, where they’re allowed to put sensitive data into the system and where they shouldn’t. The cohort that’s been in the office for a while will know the types of outputs the company is looking for and how to check that against what things like AI agents are doing.”
As AI reshapes work, human skills remain essential. Gemma Quinn, Salesforce’s Vice President of Global University Recruiting, highlighted networking as one such skill: “When you come out of university and into a large company, one of the first things you need to learn is why networking is so important,” she said, noting that collaboration across departments complements AI-driven efficiencies.
Fears that AI will displace entry-level jobs have been tempered by industry leaders. Quinn said AI will not eliminate these roles but will evolve them: “Newly hired employees will be able to do a lot more than they could even a few years ago because of this technology.” Nearly all surveyed users—96%—reported using AI to complete tasks beyond their existing skillsets, confirming its role as a productivity multiplier.
Still, perceptions of AI remain mixed. While 42% of workers express excitement about offloading parts of their current job to AI, 31% remain neutral and 27% are concerned. Half of executives surveyed feel a high urgency to implement AI, indicating rapid organisational uptake that must be carefully managed.
Millennials are setting the pace in workplace AI adoption—not just increasing output, but transforming how work is done. As mentors to Gen Z and champions of responsible AI use, they are positioned to lead the UK into a new era of innovation.
Created by Amplify: AI-augmented, human-curated content.
