Workplace development has traditionally assumed that experience teaches inexperience. Senior colleagues pass down their professional knowledge, while people at the beginning of their careers learn through observation, feedback and practice. AI is beginning to complicate that model.

Research from Intuit QuickBooks found that 90% of the accounting students and early-career finance professionals surveyed believe they will be more capable with AI tools than their future managers or senior colleagues. Nearly three quarters already use AI daily or several times a day.[1]

That confidence is valuable, but it should not be confused with complete professional capability. The same respondents expressed substantial concerns about accuracy, over-reliance and data security. Younger employees may know how to use the tools, while experienced colleagues may be better placed to recognise when an answer is misleading, incomplete or inappropriate.

This creates a strong case for reciprocal learning. Junior employees can share practical knowledge of AI tools and emerging workflows, while experienced colleagues provide context, judgement and accountability. Managers do not need to be the most advanced AI users in the room, but they do need enough understanding to challenge outputs, set boundaries and support responsible use.

For HR, the question is no longer simply who needs AI training. It is how to combine digital fluency with the professional judgement that develops through experience. Organisations that bring those capabilities together will be better positioned than those that assume younger employees understand AI and senior employees understand the business. AI maturity depends on both.

Source: [1] AI is redefining the Gen Z career ladder says new Intuit research

Authored by Megan Downey-Copeland