London, UK, January 23, 2026 – Britain’s youngest professionals are turning to Artificial Intelligence to act as a stand-in manager, career coach, and CV writer. This is despite worrying that AI could soon make their roles obsolete, according to the largest survey of the newest generation of UK office workers (aged 21-25) in 2025.
According to the results of a new survey by workplace engagement platform, Kahoot!, Britain’s youngest professionals are entering the workplace under intense pressure to appear more qualified than they feel. More than half (51%) admit to exaggerating their skills on their CV or LinkedIn profiles, while 65% turn to AI tools like ChatGPT to craft cover letters and job applications.
In addition, once they land a job, their dependence on AI continues. Nearly six in ten (59%) say they rely on AI to complete everyday tasks because they feel undertrained or lack the skills required to keep up.
Yet for a large proportion of Gen Z office workers, the very tool helping them bridge skill gaps is also the one that they fear may soon replace them. Despite embracing the technology to get hired and stay afloat at work, more than half (54%) feel AI poses a threat to their job security – 18% believing it could ultimately make their role obsolete. Despite these pressures, the research also shows resilience, resourcefulness and optimism, as the first fully digital generation finds ways to adapt and thrive in a rapidly changing world.
Commissioned by Kahoot! – the global workforce engagement platform widely used by British companies to transform the way they conduct meetings, events, training and internal communications, and conducted via OnePoll in December 2025 – the survey collected insights from 2,000 recent university graduates entering corporate life. The results offer a snapshot of the ambitions, fears and challenges facing Britain’s next generation of office workers.
Jon Neale, Growth Director, UK and Ireland at Kahoot! comments: “Young people aren’t turning to AI out of laziness; they’re turning to it out of uncertainty. Many are entering workplaces without the structure, mentorship or direction they need to build confidence, so AI becomes a practical shortcut to present themselves as sufficiently competent whilst they build confidence on the job. Employers who want to fulfil their potential need to provide clearer guidance, better training, and genuine support, rather than leaving AI to fill the gaps. This reliance on AI is a short-term fix for a much deeper, widespread issue.”
Key takeaways:
- CV Embellishment: More than half of young professionals (51%) admit to exaggerating their skills on their CV or LinkedIn profiles. The most frequently embellished areas include work experience (53%), technical skills (46%), and hobbies or side projects (43%). Other contenders include language skills (39%), education or qualifications (37%), job titles or roles (36%), awards and recognitions (26%) and volunteering (26%).
- AI As The New Career Adviser: As many as 65% have used AI tools like ChatGPT to help craft cover letters or applications.
- Filling Training Gaps with AI: Young workers are turning to AI because they do not feel properly trained. 59% say they rely on AI to complete tasks due to feeling undertrained and lacking the necessary skills, while 21% report that their employer does not invest in training at all. More than half (56%) say access to professional development would make them more loyal to their employer.
- Perceived Threat of AI On Job Security: Despite a general trend of reliance on AI, 54% fear it could threaten their job security, including 18% who believe their role could become obsolete. Job security remains a key driver of job satisfaction for 28% of respondents.
- AI Gives Youth A Generational Advantage at Work: Most young professionals (82%) believe AI gives them an edge over older colleagues, with 30% describing it as a “big advantage” and only 5% seeing it as a disadvantage.
- Young Workers Are Clear On What Satisfies Them At Work: Healthy work-life balance leads the list (44%), followed by competitive pay and benefits (33%), flexible working arrangements (31%), and learning and development opportunities (29%).
- Flexibility Outranks Diversity And Social Impact As Core Workplace Value: Flexibility ranks above diversity and inclusion as the top workplace value – the principles and conditions that shape how they want to work. A third of respondents (33%) say flexibility matters most, compared with 22% who prioritise diversity and inclusion and 16% who choose social impact. Creativity also features strongly, cited by 28%.
- Hybrid Working Dominates Working Location Preferences: when asked their preference on how and where they work, 45% prioritise hybrid working arrangements, 20% favour fully in-office work, 17% would prefer a 4-day week, 10% want fully remote workplaces, and 7% want asynchronous schedules in which they can choose their own hours. Women show a stronger preference for hybrid setups (48% women vs. 42% men), while men prefer fully office-based work (24% men vs. 16% women).
- Training Needs a Rethink to Match How Young People Learn: When asked how training could improve, 43% said content should be more engaging or motivating. 37% want real-life application or interactivity, 35% want clear structure or learning pathways. Preferences for learning styles include a mix of group and solo learning (42%), group learning only (35%), and solo learning only (21%).
Kahoot!’s Gen Z One Year On The Job report can be read in full for free here: https://kahoot.com/business/resources/reports/
About Kahoot!
Kahoot!, the global learning and engagement platform company, is on a mission to make learning awesome by empowering everyone—children, students, and employees—to reach their full potential. Our platform enables individuals and organizations to easily create, share, and host engaging learning sessions. Since launching in 2013, Kahoot! has become a global leader, hosting hundreds of millions of sessions with over 12 billion cumulative participants across 200+ countries and regions. Clever, the global identity platform for K-12, is also part of Kahoot! Group, serving millions of educators, students, and schools every day. Headquartered in Oslo, Norway, we also have offices in the US, UK, France, Finland, Australia, Singapore, Japan, Estonia, Denmark, Spain, and Poland.
Media Contact for Kahoot!: press@kahoot.com