Half of Gen Z employees feel guilty using AI to do their jobs, and 52% say it feels like cheating, according to new data from Employment Hero. The findings, released today, reveal a growing disconnect between workplace enthusiasm for AI skills and the day-to-day reality of using the tools, prompting calls for employers to establish clear policies.
The guilt gap
Gen Z workers are most likely to report discomfort, with 50% saying they feel guilty when using AI to produce work. Another 52% feel like they're cheating when they use AI for parts of their job. "AI shouldn't feel like cheating. It should feel like using any other tool that helps people do their jobs better," said Kevin Fitzgerald, UK managing director at Employment Hero.
Fitzgerald stressed that employers need to offer clear guidance so they can understand AI's real impact, manage risk, and support skills development. "If workers don't have clear guidance, they'll continue to learn in the shadows, making it harder for businesses to understand AI's true impact," he said. The report's findings underscore the importance of clear AI policies, a topic that falls squarely within the scope of AI for Human Resources.
Enthusiasm collides with discomfort
The guilt sits alongside widespread enthusiasm for AI. More than a third of employers (36%) say AI skills are one of the top attributes they look for in job applicants, just behind digital literacy at 39%. Among employees, 58% of Gen Z workers feel positive about AI becoming a bigger part of their working life, and 81% have taken it upon themselves to learn AI skills through social media.
"There is a real contradiction emerging for young workers," Fitzgerald said. "They are being told that AI skills will be critical to their careers, and many are clearly enthusiastic about building those skills, but they still feel guilty when they actually use the tools."
Shadow AI on the rise
The uncertainty has created a shadow AI problem. Employment Hero's report found that 42% of Gen Z workers use AI tools without their employer's knowledge, and the same proportion often present AI-generated work as their own. "When half of Gen Z feel guilty using AI at work, and more than four in ten are doing so without their employer's knowledge, it shows that workplace norms have not yet caught up with employee behaviour," Fitzgerald said.
Why this matters for HR
HR teams are on the front line of this disconnect. Employees are using AI with or without permission, and the guilt they feel is a signal that organisational policies haven't kept pace. Clear, accessible guidelines can turn hidden use into open skill-building. The opportunity is to bring AI use into the open, build trust, and help employees use it confidently - without feeling like they're cheating.
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