A Harvard Business Review article looks past the hype to how Gen Z actually uses generative AI, and what quietly worries them about it. This is not blind optimism. It is a generation experimenting while holding real ambivalence.
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AI as a thinking partner, not a shortcut
Gen Z often uses AI to brainstorm, reframe, and explore ideas, not just to finish tasks faster. -
Fear of dependency is real
Many worry that over-reliance could dull critical thinking, originality, or their own voice over time. -
Trust is conditional
They value AI’s usefulness, but remain sceptical about accuracy, bias, and how their data is used.
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This generation is not anti-AI. They are pro-agency. The signal for leaders and educators is clear, teach how to think with AI, not how to outsource thinking to it.
