Increased AI usage is making younger workers more afraid of saying 'I don't know'
Almost half of employees assume their colleagues are consulting AI before asking a question to the room, as admitting ignorance becomes increasingly unacceptable in the workplace.
A recent survey reveals that 71% of Gen Z workers feel pressured to verify AI information before asking questions at work. This results in many younger employees avoiding saying "I don't know" due to the expectation that they must check AI first. In fact, 56% of employees believe that admitting to not knowing something is risky, as their colleagues or managers may assume they have already checked AI.
Younger employees are expected to research answers independently and only seek help from colleagues when AI fails to provide the needed information. This trend suggests a workplace where knowledge is being controlled by AI, and younger workers are hesitant to ask questions for fear of appearing unprepared or lacking seniority. Matthew Freire, Managing Director of Use.AI, advises that open questioning can reveal common misunderstandings, but the pressure to pretend knowledge when it's not there (37%) could damage morale.
Written by urgent.news from TechRadar's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
