Gen Z Workers Turn to ChatGPT for Benefits Enrollment Guidance
Seventeen percent of US workers used AI tools to help choose employee benefits during their most recent open enrollment, with more than half of those users being Gen Z, according to The Hartford's latest Future of Benefits Study.
The shift reflects real uncertainty. Forty-three percent of US workers said they're never sure they're choosing the right benefits during enrollment. For younger workers facing mounting financial pressure, AI chatbots offer an accessible alternative to HR portals or company benefits advisors.
What Workers Are Actually Using AI For
Among those who turned to AI during enrollment, usage centered on four main tasks: comparing different plan options, obtaining general information, getting personalized recommendations, and calculating out-of-pocket costs. Nearly a third asked AI to simply tell them what to choose.
Ninety-four percent of Gen Z workers who used AI tools reported trusting the recommendations they received. That high confidence level presents both opportunity and risk for benefits administrators.
Plan-specific decision-support tools integrated with employer systems could help employees make more confident choices. But reliance on general-purpose chatbots without access to actual plan details increases the risk of mismatched coverage or overlooked options.
Financial Pressure Driving Supplemental Coverage Interest
Medical costs are rising faster than wages. Federal data shows medical care prices increased 2.8% from December 2023 to December 2024, while overall inflation cooled. That gap is pushing workers toward supplemental health benefits as financial protection.
Half of US workers said they're unsure whether they'll have enough money for future medical care. Forty-four percent worry more about daily expenses-food, housing, healthcare, unexpected costs-than their long-term financial future.
Thirty-eight percent said their financial situation is affecting their mental health. For blue-collar workers especially, supplemental coverage has become standard: seventy-three percent consider it part of their overall financial plan, compared with 60% of white-collar workers and 54% of service-based workers.
Workers enrolling in supplemental coverage most often cited three reasons: peace of mind for unexpected health events, help with out-of-pocket costs, and filling gaps in medical and pharmacy coverage.
What This Means for Benefits Professionals
Younger workers increasingly expect digital, conversational, and on-demand guidance during enrollment. That expectation persists even as broader polling shows Gen Z growing more anxious and skeptical about AI's long-term effects on work and creativity.
Clear, easy-to-use guidance backed by knowledgeable support matters more than ever as employees navigate rising costs and seek coverage that protects their paychecks in everyday life, not just worst-case scenarios.
For insurance professionals, the data suggests building or integrating plan-specific AI tools could address both the demand for digital guidance and the accuracy concerns that come with general-purpose chatbots. Understanding how workers actually use these tools-and where they fall short-is essential to designing benefits communication that works.
Your membership also unlocks:
