New research from Google Workspace reveals widespread adoption and value of generative AI (GenAI) across rising leaders at work. Conducted by The Harris Poll, the study is based on a survey of over 1,000 U.S.-based knowledge workers ages 22-39 years old who currently have or aspire to hold a leadership position at work (“young leaders”).
The survey revealed that 82% of young leaders 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. Nearly all (93%) young leaders who identify as Gen Z and 79% who identify as millennials use two or more AI tools on a weekly basis. More than half of the AI users surveyed regularly share their experiences and insights with colleagues, and 75% of them have suggested GenAI tools to their peers.
AI Boosts Productivity
The survey found that in addition to the anticipated impact of AI, young leaders are using AI to supercharge productivity and enhance communication to solve common challenges for the modern worker. 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 also found that young leaders are using AI to:
- Overcome task paralysis: 88% say they would use AI to start a task that feels overwhelming.
- Improve writing: 88% also agree that AI can help them strike the right tone in their writing.
- Be more flexible: 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. This can be especially impactful when considering hybrid work, and the value of empowering people with tools to support more flexible collaboration from anywhere.
“Our research shows that emerging leaders are adopting AI to increase their impact at work,” said Yulie Kwon Kim, VP of Product, Google Workspace. “Rising leaders are not simply using AI as a tool for efficiency, but as a catalyst to help grow their careers.”
Leveraging AI To Foster Leadership Skills
In addition to demonstrating a strong correlation between the use of GenAI and increased productivity, the data shows how AI can help scale business-critical soft skills, such as the ability to collaborate with others, communicate effectively, lead a team, and more. It not only helps individuals get work done faster and more efficiently, but also changes how they work in meaningful ways.
The study found that AI can help:
- 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% say 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, ensuring teams stay coordinated.
- Create bigger impact: 50% recognize the current and potential impact of AI on automating routine tasks to free up their time to focus on more strategic work.
“The future of work is here—and it’s AI-powered,” added Yulie Kwon Kim. “Rising leaders are not only advocating for AI—they’re deploying this technology in meaningful ways, from improving communication with colleagues to freeing up time for strategic work.”
