Employers may be unsure about AI, but Gen Z isn't. Can they meet in the middle?

The workforce may be at odds about how they feel about artificial intelligence, but that hasn't stopped young people from expecting to use it in their future careers. 

Despite the growing unease surrounding artificial intelligence, nearly 40% of younger workers are still excited about using AI capabilities in their roles, according to a new survey conducted by market research company Ipsos on AI, commissioned by software company RingCentral. Fifty-three percent even believe it could impact the workplace positively in the long run. But that's not necessarily surprising to experts, given their background. 

"Younger workers are digital natives — they grew up using a steady stream of constantly evolving technologies like smart phones and social media apps, and they're well accustomed to interacting online," says Kira Makagon, chief innovation officer at RingCentral. "They also are newer to the workforce and have had less time to develop ingrained habits than their more seasoned colleagues." 

Read more: Should your business be afraid of AI?

One of the reasons younger employees may be less concerned could be because due to their comfort with technology, many don't see AI as a means to replace the workforce. Instead, they see AI as an opportunity to make work better, faster and more productive, according to Makagon, providing them with an opportunity to offload routine tasks and focus on more creative, strategic work. 

But that's at odds with how employers have been reacting to AI in recent months. Not only did RingCentral and Ipsos' study find that 45% of employees overall — including business leaders — prefer face-to-face interactions over AI, but there's also been an outcry from tech titans themselves. In the last two months alone, two separate open letters have been published warning the general public against the dangers of AI. One called for the immediate pause of advanced chatbot developments, such as ChatGPT and Google's Bard, and the other predicted AI could be behind human extinction at large. Both letters were signed by tech innovators, many of whom are behind today's greatest artificial-intelligence advancement. 

"Throughout human history, innovation has always stirred up the status quo," Makagon says. "It's true that the pace of change can be disruptive, but AI is not a fleeting trend — it's already become a part of the way we work today, and will remain a significant factor in our future. With that in mind, it will be critical for leadership to implement AI in a thoughtfully, ethically and responsible way."

Despite caution, there are many ways AI can be helpful to the incoming workforce, and that kind of support could sway young employees when choosing between two workplaces. For example, RingCentral found that AI could be critical in areas like spotting potential compliance pitfalls, providing conversational chatbots that provide real-time performance feedback, and improving existing customer relation management systems. So where does that leave employers who are both looking to recruit young talent and build a loyal workforce, but may still be feeling conflicted about their stance on AI?

Read more: How employers can prepare for New York City's AI law

"Leadership will have to implement AI in a way that observes data privacy and security protocols, developing clearly defined plans for how the technology will be used, and communicating consistently with all levels of the organization," Makagon says. "Leaders can do so by engaging in regular communication at an organizational and individual team level, by sharing policies, guidebooks, and tutorials, and by soliciting feedback in town halls and during manager office hours."

Makadon acknowledges that the transition may not be smooth — but it's here. Employers would be wise to embrace the potential it can bring. 

"We are currently at the starting line of significant transformation," she says. "Our research reveals mixed sentiment among workers: while some enthusiastically embrace the potential of AI, others remain hesitant about the implications of this technological shift. There are kinks yet to be ironed out as we work through the exploration and discovery phase, but the potential is significant, and promising."