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Closing the confidence gap: AI for early career talent

Nicki Morris, group event director at HR Technologies UK, discusses the confidence gap facing early-career employees in AI-driven workplaces.

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Closing the confidence gap: AI for early career talent
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The latest data from Kahoot shows that nearly six in 10 Gen Z employees admit they’re using artificial intelligence (AI) to complete everyday tasks at work. That’s despite more than half worrying that the same technology could ultimately replace them.

What I see in this data isn’t laziness or opportunism. It’s uncertainty. Early-career employees are entering workplaces where structures are flatter, managers are stretched and formal training pathways are often patchy. They feel pressure to appear capable from day one. AI becomes a coping mechanism; a way to fill knowledge gaps quietly and polish outputs.

We can’t dismiss that as cornercutting. It’s a sign that businesses need to change the way they nurture their early career talent, and how their employees use AI.

AI isn’t the problem – lack of structure is!

The destabilisation of entry-level roles isn’t just down to AI. It often starts much earlier, with inconsistent onboarding, limited mentorship and unclear progression routes.

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Used thoughtfully, AI can be a powerful enabler of learning and productivity. The real risk lies in defaulting to general-purpose, unsupervised consumer tools as a substitute for proper development. 

When employees turn to external chatbots and AI tools for guidance because internal support is lacking, organisations lose oversight, governance and, potentially, data security.

More importantly, they miss the opportunity to build genuine capability within their team.

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There is a fundamental difference between generalist AI and specialist HR technology designed to develop people safely and strategically. In much the same way you wouldn’t rely on a GP to perform complex surgery, organisations shouldn’t expect generic AI to close specialist skills gaps.. 

The rise of intelligent HR tech

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The good news? The HR technology market has evolved rapidly and intelligently.

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Enterprise platforms such as Workday, Oracle and UKG are embedding AI into the very architecture of workforce planning. These systems don’t simply automate processes, they strategically and intelligently map skills across the organisation, identify capability gaps and recommend targeted development aligned to business strategy.

HR platforms like HiBob, Personio and CIPHR are rethinking onboarding and performance management. AI is being used to personalise learning pathways, nudge managers to give timely feedback and surface engagement data before issues escalate. That kind of embedded support is exactly what early-career employees say they’re missing.

Outside of the HRIS layer, we’re also seeing growth in specialist skills and assessment technology. Providers such as Saville Assessment and Skillvue use AI and data science to assess capability, potential and behavioural fit with far greater objectivity and depth than self-assessment or chatbot-generated guidance could ever offer.

This is AI deployed with the intent to improve learning and development: governed, auditable and aligned to business outcomes.

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Making AI work for learning, not just doing

The Kahoot data also highlights that while many young professionals fear redundancy, three in ten believe their AI fluency ultimately gives them a competitive advantage over older colleagues.

They’re not wrong. AI literacy will define the next generation of high performers. But fluency without a solid foundation is fragile. If employees are using AI to compensate for gaps in understanding, they’re building speed without depth.

The organisations that will thrive are those that integrate AI into structured learning ecosystems – guided performance support, interactive training and skills validation to turn experimentation into true expertise.

Acting with intent

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We are firmly in the age of AI. The question is not whether employees will use it, they already are. The real question is whether employers will act with intent.

Organisations can allow unsupervised AI use to expand in the shadows, masking deeper capability gaps. Or they can invest in structured onboarding, intelligent skills platforms and responsible AI-driven HR systems that build real confidence.

When the right tools and frameworks are in place, AI stops being a crutch and becomes a catalyst for genuine capability and confidence. Employees won’t rely on it to hide insecurity but will use it strategically to enhance performance. Businesses, in turn, will develop resilient, future-ready talent who understand not just how to prompt AI, but when to question it.

That’s ultimately the difference between reacting to a trend and shaping the future of work.

Nicki Morris is group event director at HR Technologies UK

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