Gen Z are divided on generative AI: Why some are rejecting it while others embrace it

Videos of commencement speeches being booed for praising artificial intelligence (AI) have recently gone viral. Young people across Canada have been protesting against proposed AI data centres in Hamilton, Saskatchewan, and Winnipeg. But at the same time, surveys show that the use of generative AI tools among Gen Z continues to rise.

So why is this generation so divided on AI?

As with most conversations about a generation, the answer is complicated. Gen Z is not a monolith. Some young people view AI as an exciting tool that can improve productivity, accessibility, and creativity. Others see it as a technology being rolled out too quickly, with significant social, environmental, and ethical consequences.

Similar to many of the conversations we have in our workshops, understanding AI requires context, nuance, and a willingness to hold multiple truths at once.

The rise of AI among Gen Z

Despite public skepticism, AI adoption among young people has grown rapidly. According to a recent Telus research study, roughly 64% of Gen Z Canadians currently use AI at least once weekly for personal activities. For many students and young workers, generative AI has become another tool in their digital toolkit. It helps summarize readings, brainstorm ideas, organize schedules, draft emails, explain difficult concepts, and answer questions quickly. AI is also increasingly embedded into the platforms Gen Z already uses every day, from Google Search and Microsoft Office to Snapchat, Instagram, and TikTok.

Today's young people are navigating rising costs of living, intense academic pressure, uncertainty about employment, and what many researchers describe as a growing mental health crisis. In a world that often feels overwhelming, tools that promise to save time, reduce stress, and provide companionship can be incredibly appealing.

The concerns go beyond the technology itself

Interestingly, many young critics of AI are not necessarily opposed to the technology. Instead, they are questioning how it is being developed, who benefits from it, and what safeguards are in place to protect people from harm. 

One major concern for the next generation regarding AI is regulation. Currently, there is no regulatory framework related to AI in Canada, but many governments have continued to push for it anyway. It is worth noting that many governments around the world have struggled to keep pace with the rapid growth of AI technologies, which has meant that questions around privacy, misinformation, bias, copyright, and accountability remain largely unresolved.

There are also growing concerns about the psychological impacts of AI systems. Several tragic cases involving young people forming unhealthy emotional attachments to AI chatbots have raised questions about what responsibilities technology companies should bear when their products are used by vulnerable users. In New Brunswick, a mother is suing OpenAI, arguing that ChatGPT and the lack of guardrails and regulation led to her daughter ending her life. It is a tragic example that is becoming all too common.

The debate is often less about whether AI should exist and more about whether society is prepared for its consequences.

Who benefits from AI?

Who stands to gain financially from the AI boom? Governments across North America have invested billions of dollars into AI infrastructure and data centre development, often providing incentives and subsidies to private technology companies. 

Supporters argue that these investments create jobs and stimulate innovation. But critics argue that public resources are being used to support some of the wealthiest corporations in the world while many communities continue to face housing shortages, healthcare challenges, and underfunded public services. Bernie Sanders recently unveiled his plan to give the public direct ownership of AI companies, a solution that addresses some of these concerns.

At the same time, anxiety around unemployment remains high. Many young people are entering a labour market already shaped by automation, contract work, and economic instability. As companies increasingly experiment with replacing tasks previously performed by humans, fears about job displacement continue to grow. Some countries have begun exploring regulations aimed at protecting workers from AI-related downsizing, including China who have outlawed AI-based layoffs. Discussions around these types of safeguards remain limited in many Western countries, leaving many young workers wondering what their future employment prospects will look like.

The environmental cost of AI

Perhaps one of the fastest-growing areas of concern is the environmental impact of AI. Even OpenAI CEO Sam Altman expressed concerns that current energy systems would struggle to cope with the next wave of generative AI systems.

Large-scale AI systems require enormous amounts of computing power. Data centres consume significant amounts of electricity and water to operate and cool their servers. Communities near proposed facilities have also raised concerns about noise pollution, land use, and pressure on local infrastructure.

These concerns have fueled youth-led opposition to several proposed AI data centres across Canada. In Hamilton, community organizing helped push local officials to reconsider large-scale AI infrastructure projects, and even created a moratorium on all data centres due to pushback. In Manitoba, Premier Wab Kinew's government declined a proposal for a major AI data centre due to concerns about energy demands.

For many young climate advocates, these projects raise difficult questions. Can society justify expanding energy-intensive technologies while simultaneously trying to reduce emissions and address climate change?

Are we outsourcing critical thinking?

Beyond environmental and economic concerns lies a more personal question: what happens when we begin outsourcing our thinking? One study from MIT Media Lab reported that excessive reliance on AI can lead to “cognitive atrophy” and less critical thinking overall.

Researchers have increasingly warned that while AI can be a useful tool, an overreliance on it may weaken important skills such as critical thinking, problem-solving, creativity, and information evaluation. When answers become instantly available, it can be tempting to stop asking deeper questions.

This concern is particularly relevant for young people whose educational and professional lives are increasingly intertwined with AI systems. If AI becomes the default solution for writing, researching, organizing, and decision-making, what skills might be lost along the way? 

The solution may not necessarily be avoiding AI altogether, but learning how to use it intentionally without allowing it to replace the very creativity, authenticity, and uniqueness that makes us human.

Where do we go from here?

The debate around AI is often framed as a battle between those who support innovation and those who oppose it. But like all discussions, the reality is much more nuanced.

Many young people are calling for stronger regulations, greater transparency, environmental accountability, worker protections, and ethical safeguards. They see the writing on the wall and do not believe that corporations have their best interests at heart. 

Organizations, researchers, labour advocates, digital rights groups, and environmental activists around the world are already working toward these goals. Their efforts remind us that AI’s takeover is not inevitable, but that the time to act is now.

As generative AI continues to reshape our schools, workplaces, communities, and relationships, young people have an opportunity to engage critically with the technology rather than simply accepting or rejecting it. The future of AI should not be decided solely by governments or tech companies. It should also include the voices of the generation that will live with its consequences the longest.

What role do you think AI should play in our future? Join the conversation with See Different by visiting our socials: IG @seedifferentcanada and TikTok @seedifferentcan