AI Training Lags Behind for Older Workers Even with Increasing Familiarity

How AI is impacting the future of work among workers age 50‑plus

Advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) continue to shape the workplace, raising both opportunities and concerns for workers age 50‑plus. In this third wave of research fielded among older workers, we examine how familiarity with AI, training experiences, and perceptions of AI’s impact on the future of work have evolved over time. While awareness and exposure to AI have increased since this study began, gaps in training and persistent concerns about workplace disruption remain.

Older workers are increasingly familiar with AI at work, but training continues to lag behind interest

In Wave 3, just over half of workers age 50‑plus (53%) say they are knowledgeable about AI generally, up slightly from Wave 2 (52%) and Wave 1 (48%). Familiarity with AI in the workplace has grown notably over time, rising from 39% in Wave 1 to 45% in Wave 2 and 52% in Wave 3.

Despite these gains in familiarity, participation in AI training remains limited. Only 12% of older workers report having taken training or classes on using AI for work in Wave 3, up modestly from 10% in Wave 2 and 7% in Wave 1. At the same time, nearly half (49%) say they are interested in learning more about using AI in their work — virtually unchanged from earlier waves (48% in Wave 1; 47% in Wave 2).

Together, these findings point to a persistent gap — 37 percentage points in Wave 3: Interest in AI training continues to far exceed actual training participation, even as AI becomes more familiar in the workplace.

AI use at work is growing, with information and productivity tasks leading the way

Use of AI in daily work has increased since the study began. Nearly 1 in 4 older workers (23%) say they use AI to a great or some extent in Wave 3, compared with 16% in Wave 2 and 14% in Wave 1. Still, most older workers report limited engagement with AI overall.

Among those who use AI for work, the most common applications continue to center on productivity and information tasks. In Wave 3, about two‑thirds (67%) say they use AI to find information, up from 56% in Wave 2 and 48% in Wave 1. Use of AI to analyze data or information has also increased (40% in Wave 3, up from 29% in Wave 2), as has creating content such as text, images, audio, or video (37% in Wave 3, up from 34% in Wave 2 and 25% in Wave 1).

Older workers remain skeptical that employers are doing enough to prepare them for AI

New questions added in Wave 3 reveal widespread concern about employer preparedness. Among employed workers age 50‑plus, only about one‑third (35%) agree that their employer is doing enough to train workers to use AI in their work, while nearly two‑thirds (63%) disagree. Similarly, just 31% say their employer encourages and offers AI training to all workers regardless of age, while 66% disagree.

These findings underscore a growing disconnect between the pace at which AI is entering the workplace and the level of support older workers, specifically, feel they are receiving to adapt.

AI is widely seen as a source of disruption — and concern about future impacts remains high

Older workers continue to view AI as both a threat and an opportunity, with concern outweighing optimism. In Wave 3, nearly one‑quarter (24%) see AI as a threat in their line of work today, while 19% see it as an opportunity and 37% see it as both. Looking ahead five years, concern intensifies: 30% expect AI to be a threat, compared with 19% who see it as an opportunity.

When asked about AI’s broader impact on the future of work, the most commonly cited effects in Wave 3 relate to disruption. Roughly two‑thirds say AI will replace (66%) or displace (63%) workers, both higher than in earlier waves. About half (49%) believe AI will automate repetitive tasks, and 46% say it will create threats to data privacy. Fewer point to positive outcomes such as enhancing productivity (37%), making work easier (36%), or creating new job opportunities (26%).

Taken together, these findings suggest that while familiarity with AI is increasing, concerns about job loss, displacement, and workplace disruption remain at the forefront of many older workers' minds.

Methodology

2024 Methodology (Wave 1)
Interviews were conducted in two cycles: April 11 to 16, 2024 and May 16 to 28, 2024, among 919 U.S. adults 50‑plus in the labor force (working full‑time, part‑time, self‑employed or not working but looking for work) in the Foresight 50+ Omnibus. Funded and operated by NORC at the University of Chicago, Foresight 50+ by AARP and NORC is a probability‑based panel designed to be representative of the U.S. household population. 50 or older. Interviews were conducted online and via phone. All data are weighted by age, sex, education, race/ethnicity, region, and AARP membership.

2025 Methodology (Wave 2)

Interviews were conducted in two cycles: February 13 to 17, 2025 and March 13 to 27, 2025, among 923 U.S. adults age 50‑plus in the labor force in the Foresight 50+ Omnibus.

2026 Methodology (Wave 3)

Interviews were conducted March 12 to 16, 2026, among 1,015 U.S. adults age 50‑plus in the labor force in the Foresight 50+ Omnibus. All data are weighted to be nationally representative of adults age 50‑plus in the U.S.

For more information about this survey, please contact Rebecca Perron at rperron@aarp.org. For media inquiries, contact External Relations at media@aarp.org.