Generation Z and artificial intelligence: Usage patterns and delegation boundaries

This study examines the use of artificial intelligence (AI), delegation preferences, and perceptions of the future of work among Generation Z representatives, shedding light on emerging patterns of human-AI interaction and delegation. The analysis is based on a cross-sectional survey. The results indicate widespread and frequent engagement with AI, particularly for learning-related tasks and chatbot interaction, as well as high levels of mobile-based use. Despite this intensive adoption, the willingness to delegate tasks to AI systems remains limited. Most respondents reject delegation across contexts such as financial decisions, monitoring, and communication, and, where accepted, delegation is typically conditional on human oversight rather than full autonomy. Perceptions of the future of work emphasise transformation rather than displacement. Respondents most commonly expect hybrid models in which human work is supported by AI tools, alongside a strong expectation of the need for retraining. Overall, the findings highlight a tension between high AI usage and constrained trust in autonomous decision-making, suggesting that Generation Z engages with AI as a supportive resource while maintaining strong preferences for human control. This contributes to ongoing discussions on human-technology relationship in which Gen Z engages AI primarily as a supportive tool while safeguarding human control, thereby contributing to understandings of trust, agency, and socio-technical change in future work practices.