Here are 5 surprising statistics about Gen Z and Millenials, and their adoption of generative AI technologies.

1. Disrupting Google

61% of Gen Z and 53% of Millennials reported using AI instead of Google to find information about a topic.

This shift is about speed, efficiency, and user experience.

"Let me ask ChatGPT" is already replacing "Google it."

Conversing with LLMs feels more like talking with a friend, rather than digging through a virtual library, rife with ads and clickbait SEO-optimized answers.

For example, in seconds ChatGPT can summarize both sides of a heated controversial topic (e.g. global warming). This would’ve taken much longer to read, absorb, and summarize through traditional google searching.

This may have broader implications for information consumption and trust.

Search engines require you to sift through pages, assessing credibility and relevance. LLMs streamline this by synthesizing all those pages - and billions more - to craft a response.

However, it’s currently hard to detect hallucinations and evaluate credibility.

2. Optimists

Gen Z and Millenials are the most optimistic about AI positively transforming multiple industries, including healthcare, technology, education, and creativity.

Trust goes hand in hand with optimism.

63% of Millennials and 52% of Gen Z genuinely trust information from AI.

Both optimism and trust probably stem from robust engagement with AI tools from a young age. A whopping 70% of Gen Z use AI.

According to the same report, Salesforce found 65% of all Gen AI users are Millennials or Gen Z, while 72% are employed.

As AI adoption transforms industries across the board, its proactive adoption by Gen Z and Millenials will hopefully shape a culture of tech-optimism.

3. Career Coaching

47% of Gen Z say they get better advice from AI than from their manager.

I’m not surprised.

For instance, I get better advice from ChatGPT than from most dog trainers.

Why?

It’s all about…

Current Research: AI continuously learns from the latest data, so that its advice is based on recent research. Managers don’t have time to sift through new research in behavioral science, psychology, teamwork, peak performance, mental health, etc.

Instant Access and Affordability: AI provides immediate answers, without the formality or delay associated with traditional performance reviews. Dealing with multiple responsibilities, managers are not as accessible. Career coaches, sadly, are not affordable for many.

Impartiality: Managers are human. At any given moment, their advice is likely biased by politics, incentives, experiences, emotions, limited knowledge, ego, stress, or workload. AI offers advice based on data, although nowhere near perfect, but perceived to be more objective.

Personalization: AI can tailor advice to individual preferences and history. Managers struggle due to limited memory and limited knowledge of your career history, aspirations, and roadblocks. As you jump between companies, it takes time for each new manager to learn who you are, how you work, and how to best enable you.

Anonymity: Using AI lets you stay anonymous, encouraging openness without fear of consequences. There’s no real anonymity in the workplace. Managers may not like what you have to say; sadly, the repercussions can be high.

4. Building AI Tools

68% of Gen Z and 61% of Millenials are interested in making their own AI tools, such as custom GPTs.

Last year, GitHub achieved 100 million developers on its platform.

The next milestone?

1 billion.

The convergence of…

• AI coding assistants

• Low code app builders

• Younger generations eager to build

… will lead to the next 900 million developers.

The barrier to entry in tech entrepreneurship will continue to plummet.

A broader range of people will build, innovate, and elevate their communities.

As of February 2024, there were: 

• 80,763 total unique GPT models 

• 71,901 active unique GPT models

• 8,862 inactive unique GPT models

Imagine 10x, or even 100x, these numbers as Gen Z and Millenials ramp up.

5. Increasing Usage

60% of Gen Z and 62% of Millenials have increased weekly usage of AI over the past year, and they lead the pack in adopting multiple use cases for AI.

Here are Gen Z’s most frequent use cases for AI:

• complete schoolwork

• spur creativity

• as a hobby

• song recommendations

I confess I’m a Millenial.

Over the past year, I‘ve adopted Gen AI in my everyday life and found multiple, meaningful uses for it:

• AI text and image generation for my hobby blog

• positive reinforcement dog training advice

• quickly finding relevant statistics

• emotional argument diffuser

• summarizing new research

• AI canvas art home deco

Yet, I’ve only scratched the surface.

I have an extensive todo list: playing with video generation, 3d modeling, music generation, and deepfakes.

My AI usage (and credit card bill) will only increase from here.

Conclusion

No doubt, AI is rapidly transforming how we seek and consume information.

We’re seeing a significant shift from Google to AI, among Gen Z and Millenials.

Despite concerns about accuracy and credibility, younger generations embrace AI, both personally and professionally.

Their optimism is reflected in their trust in AI to positively transform industries, including healthcare, education, and technology.

Nearly half of Gen Z sees AI as a superior source for advice over managers, valuing its access to current research, impartiality, and personalization.

This trend will keep spreading, far beyond the manager-employee relationship.

As AI matures and use cases flourish, Gen Z and Millennials will lead the charge towards a techno-optimistic future.

What excites me most about the gen AI space is that it truly feels like play!