Young Leaders Are Embracing AI To Drive Impact At Work: Study

The Google Workspace survey, which involved over 1,000 knowledge workers aged 22-39, reveals that generative AI tools, such as Gmail and Docs, are empowering young leaders to streamline tasks, improve communication, and enhance management capabilities. (Source: Freepik)

Productivity platform Google Workspace, which includes artificial intelligence-powered tools like Gmail, Docs and Drive, has shared new research that showcases the widespread adoption and value of generative AI across emerging leaders at work.

According to the study, 82% of individuals surveyed are already leveraging AI tools in their work, and almost all (98%) anticipate that AI will have an impact on their industry or workplace within the next five years.

Around 93% of young leaders who identify as Gen Z and 79% who identify as millennials use two or more tools on a weekly basis. Over 50% of the AI users surveyed regularly share their experiences and insights with colleagues, with 75% of them having suggested gen AI tools to their peers.

The survey also found that individuals are using AI to improve productivity and enhance communication. For instance, 70% have used AI for tasks like drafting email responses, writing challenging emails from scratch, or helping to overcome language barriers.

The study was based on a survey of over 1,000 knowledge workers aged 22–39 who currently have or aspire to hold a leadership position at work.

Other key findings include:

Overcome Task Paralysis: 88% said they would use AI to start a task that feels overwhelming.
Improve Writing: 88% also agreed that AI can help them strike the right tone in their writing.
More Flexibility: 87% of respondents believe that AI can make them more comfortable composing lengthy emails on their phone, while 90% also believe they would feel more confident joining meetings on-the-go if they knew AI was taking meeting notes for them.

Data shows how AI can help scale soft skills, such as the ability to collaborate with others, communicate effectively, lead a team, and more. Key related findings include:

Improve Management Capabilities: 86% believe that AI can help current leaders become better managers, while 79% are interested in using AI to become a better manager.
Enhance Communication: 47% said AI can help enhance communication to improve problem solving and facilitate better relationships. With hybrid work, enabling strong communication is more important than ever. AI can help enhance cross-team communication.
Bigger Impact: 50% recognise the current and potential impact of AI on automating routine tasks to free up their time to focus on more strategic work.