A new global study by the International Workplace Group (IWG), a global leader in hybrid work solutions and owner of the Regus, Spaces, and HQ brands, reveals that Generation Z professionals are playing a key role in the adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) within companies, teaching more experienced colleagues and helping to unlock productivity and collaboration gains in hybrid work environments.
The research, based on interviews with over 2,000 professionals in the United States and the United Kingdom, shows that AI is becoming a central pillar in how teams—especially hybrid ones—operate. Eight out of ten workers have already tried AI tools, and 78% say they save time, with an average of 55 minutes saved per day, equivalent to almost a full day of additional productivity per week.
Workers report that this time is being reallocated to higher value-added activities, such as creative or strategic work (41%), learning and development (41%), face-to-face collaboration (40%), and networking (35%). The percentage of those who say that AI helps them perform tasks more efficiently reaches a significant 86%, while 76% say that the use of technology is accelerating their career advancement—a number that reaches 87% among Generation Z professionals.
Collaboration between generations: the key to unlocking the gains of AI.
Intergenerational collaboration is central to this transformation. Nearly two-thirds (59%) of young professionals are actively helping more experienced colleagues adopt and learn how to use AI tools. As a result, 80% of senior managers say this support allows them to focus on higher-value tasks, while 82% report that AI innovations introduced by younger colleagues have opened up new business opportunities.
Two-thirds of C-level executives say that the AI skills of younger employees have improved the productivity of their departments. Furthermore, more than 80% of senior directors believe that AI innovations brought by junior colleagues have opened new avenues for growth.
Overall, 86% of respondents say that AI has made them more efficient, and 76% believe it is accelerating their career advancement, a figure that reaches 87% among Generation Z respondents.
Automation frees up time for higher-impact activities.
Workers are embracing the potential of AI to eliminate time-consuming administrative tasks. The most frequently cited areas where they want to apply automation include: writing emails (43%), recording and summarizing meetings (42%), organizing files (36%), and filling out forms or data entry (36%).
With these tasks automated, professionals are reallocating time to more meaningful activities. Among those surveyed, 55% now dedicate themselves to high-impact projects, 54% to professional development initiatives, and 40% to strengthening relationships with colleagues and clients or investing in personal well-being.
Benefits for hybrid workers
The influence of AI on remote collaboration is also evident: 69% of hybrid workers say it is facilitating teamwork across different locations, with benefits such as better preparation for meetings (46%), expanded access to shared information (36%), and greater effectiveness in post-meeting follow-ups (36%). The research also revealed that 40% of hybrid professionals say AI has freed up time to invest in communication and team-building activities.
Still within the hybrid model, AI is also redefining how office time is used. With automation taking care of routine work, in-person days are now dedicated to strategic thinking (41%), learning and development (41%), face-to-face collaboration (40%), and networking (35%). More than half of workers (53%) say that AI is helping them achieve better results, and 64% believe it is making hybrid work more efficient and effective.
Workers also recognize the risks of not keeping up with this transformation: 63% fear that not learning to use AI tools could delay their career growth, and 61% believe that those who do not adopt AI risk falling behind. Still, the trend is towards shared learning: 51% say that AI is helping to reduce the generational gap, and more than half say they regularly share AI knowledge with colleagues—a figure that reaches 66% among professionals aged 25 to 34.
“The world of work is evolving rapidly. Technological advancements, especially in artificial intelligence, are increasing productivity, opening up new career opportunities, and connecting different generations of knowledge. These significant productivity gains enabled by AI are helping to create more connected and agile teams, ready for the future of work. New generations are playing an essential role in sharing their digital skills with colleagues, which improves performance and opens up new business opportunities,” says Mark Dixon, founder and CEO of IWG .
