Has AI been given a promotion? One in three Gen-Z professionals now ask AI before their manager
Summary
Research from Robert Walters shows AI is becoming the go-to for workplace questions, especially among Gen‑Z. One in three Gen‑Z professionals (33%) now consult AI tools before asking their manager or colleagues. Across all age groups, 39% of UK professionals say they ask their line manager fewer questions because of AI. Meanwhile, most managers (71%) report they haven’t received guidance on managing teams in an AI-enabled workplace, and many of those who have found training insufficient.
Robert Walters’ CEO Chris Eldridge warns that while AI can boost productivity and reduce wait times, it can also outsource decision-making, create bias and keep managers out of the loop. This shift risks weakening manager–employee relationships and creating future skills and experience gaps. The article calls for clear protocols, training and active manager involvement in AI implementation so AI handles simple queries while managers focus on higher-level, strategic tasks.
Source
Key Points
- 33% of Gen‑Z professionals ask AI for work-related questions before consulting their manager or colleagues.
- 39% of UK professionals overall now ask their line manager fewer questions because of AI tools.
- 71% of UK managers report they have received no guidance or training on managing teams in an AI-enabled workplace.
- A lack of manager training risks outsourcing decision-making, introducing bias and eroding knowledge transfer.
- Employers should provide protocols and training so AI handles simple queries while managers focus on strategic, insight-driven work.
- Young managers report overwork and burnout as a leading challenge (35%), compounding reluctance among Gen‑Z to take management roles.
Why should I read this?
Quick and useful — this story flags a real workplace shift: Gen‑Z is leaning on AI more than people, and managers are being left scrambling. If you hire, manage or train staff, it’s worth a two-minute read to see what to fix before small issues become big gaps.
Context and relevance
This piece matters for HR, team leaders and business owners because it highlights a behavioural and structural change in how knowledge flows at work. With tighter budgets and pressure to ‘do more with less’, AI is filling immediate needs but may undermine long-term skills development and mentoring. Integrating AI thoughtfully — through clear policies, manager training and role redefinition — ties directly into ongoing trends around automation, employee experience and retention.
Author style: Punchy — the article is a timely wake-up call for organisations to train managers and set boundaries for AI use to protect learning, fairness and strategic decision-making.