Artificial intelligence is becoming a normal part of the workplace, but younger workers are also among those most worried about what this could mean for their careers.
According to Randstad’s 2026 Workmonitor survey, four in five workers expect AI to affect their day-to-day tasks. The research covered 27,000 workers, 1,225 employers and more than three million job advertisements across 35 markets.
A changing labour market
The survey found a major increase in demand for AI-related skills. Vacancies requiring “AI agent” skills increased by 1,587%, while AI and automation are increasingly being used for lower-complexity and transactional tasks.
This change is particularly significant for Gen Z. Randstad found that younger workers were the generation most concerned about AI’s impact on employment and their ability to adapt.
At the same time, workers are not simply rejecting AI. Many recognise its potential, but there is concern about who will benefit most. Nearly half of those surveyed feared that AI could benefit employers more than employees.
Preparing young people for change
For VALUES, these findings highlight why AI education needs to focus on more than learning individual tools.
Young people entering the labour market need the confidence to work with AI, adapt as technologies change and understand how automation may reshape different occupations. They also need critical thinking and judgement so they can make informed decisions about when and how AI should be used.
Building these skills can help turn uncertainty about AI into greater preparedness.
The future of work is unlikely to involve a simple choice between people and technology. Instead, young workers will increasingly need to understand how they can use AI effectively while continuing to develop the human skills, knowledge and judgement that remain essential in the workplace.
Further reading to original article: Young workers most worried about AI affecting jobs, Randstad survey shows, based on Randstad’s 2026 Workmonitor research and published by Reuters on 20 January 2026: https://www.straitstimes.com/world/europe/young-workers-most-worried-about-ai-affecting-jobs-randstad-survey-shows