How professional experience shapes AI use in the workplace
1–2 minutes
Data reveals lower adoption rates among workers over 45
A survey conducted by the NBER in August 2024, involving over 5,000 Americans aged 18 to 64, found that 34% of professionals under 40 already use generative AI at work, compared to just 17% of workers aged 50 or older. Another study by Generation surveyed 2,610 employees over 45 and 1,488 employers in the US and Europe. Among workers, 15% use generative AI tools, most of whom learned independently and use them several times a week.
When professional experience comes into play
Despite lower adoption rates, over half of users aged 45 and above reported improvements in three key areas:
- work quality
- productivity
- decision-making
The study’s authors suggest that experience enables professionals to compensate for knowledge gaps with less reliance on technology. Their ability to craft precise prompts and interpret results critically may explain the higher quality of AI use.
Future expectations and access challenges
A Thomson Reuters survey of over 2,200 legal, tax, and risk professionals found that baby boomers are the most optimistic, expecting 60% of their team’s work to be AI-driven within five years, surpassing projections from younger generations.
However, access remains unequal. In the US, 90% of hiring managers consider candidates under 35 for AI roles, while only 32% evaluate professionals over 60. Among workers over 45 who don’t use AI, 24% in the US and 17% in Europe said they have no interest in it.
Real-world examples
A financial manager can ask an AI tool to summarize a 40-page report and, using their industry knowledge, verify numbers and assumptions. An HR professional can generate a draft job description and refine it based on the company’s previous hires.
In these cases, technology speeds up the creation of the first draft, but the user’s expertise determines what’s useful and what needs correction.
Limitations of current data
The surveys measure user proportions, not learning speeds across groups. The data is from 2024 and applies only to the US and Europe, with no specific information for Brazil. What’s clear is that AI adoption varies by age group, and experience appears to influence the quality of its use.
