Millennials, Not Gen Z, Are Defining the Gen AI Era

As generative artificial intelligence (AI) reshapes how Americans work, shop and communicate, one generation isn’t just keeping pace, they’re pushing the frontier. Millennials, not the digital-native Gen Z, are the most enthusiastic adopters of AI in the workplace, using it to boost productivity and streamline daily tasks.

That’s one of the more surprising insights from PYMNTS Intelligence’s latest Generational Pulse Report, titled “Generation AI: Why Gen Z Bets Big and Boomers Hold Back.” The July 2025 report analyzes how different age groups engage with gen AI based on a survey of 2,261 U.S. adults. While much attention has centered on Gen Z’s cultural comfort with AI-powered platforms, it’s millennials — now deep in their prime working years — who are using the tech to squeeze more out of every hour.

Millennials’ pragmatic embrace of gen AI signals a shift in how the technology is evolving from novelty to utility. Their usage isn’t just experimental. It’s outcome-driven.

Three Key Data Points About Millennials and Gen AI:

52% of millennials use gen AI for work, the highest of any generation. That includes writing reports, conducting research, and summarizing communication threads. Their focus? Efficiency and output — not just experimentation.

61% say gen AI helps them accomplish more, faster. Whether parsing spreadsheets or editing copy, millennials overwhelmingly believe AI tools give them a measurable productivity boost.

More than 70% of millennial users are highly satisfied with gen AI tools — more than any other generation. Only 6.5% report low satisfaction, suggesting that their adoption is not just frequent, but confident.

The findings challenge assumptions that Gen Z, who grew up with smartphones and social media, would naturally lead the AI adoption curve. While zoomers and zillennials are more familiar with gen AI’s capabilities, their concerns center more on potential job losses than on practical applications. Nearly 40% of Gen Z respondents worry AI could replace them — a sentiment that may reflect their early-career vulnerability.

In contrast, millennials — born between 1981 and 1996 — appear to see AI less as a threat and more as a tool to stay competitive in a labor market increasingly defined by automation. Their confidence in the technology’s productivity gains may stem from necessity: balancing rising workloads, family life, and an always-on digital economy.

Other generations are slower to follow. Only 10% of baby boomers use gen AI in both personal and professional contexts. Just 5.3% report being very familiar with the tools. Their chief concern? Privacy. Forty percent cite worries about how AI platforms handle personal data. Gen X, meanwhile, lags in usage but shows moderate familiarity and adoption, suggesting they may eventually follow millennials’ lead.

Despite widespread use, concerns persist across all age groups. Job displacement, misinformation, and privacy breaches remain top fears. But even as users weigh those risks, they’re not turning away. Sixty percent of all users report being satisfied with the tools, indicating that for many, the benefits outweigh the drawbacks.

The big takeaway? While Gen Z might be shaping the cultural conversation around AI, millennials are writing its workplace playbook. And if satisfaction levels are any guide, that trend is likely to accelerate.