Younger Canadians report higher productivity from AI, while many say employers fall short on guidance
Canadian workers see artificial intelligence (AI) as a powerful career asset, yet most say they lack the training to use it effectively, according to the 2025 TD AI Insights Report.
For employers, this gap highlights where support is most needed to help employees feel prepared and confident with new technology.
The survey reported that 52 percent of respondents who use AI at work see their knowledge as a competitive advantage over peers in similar roles.
At the same time, 27 percent admitted to exaggerating their proficiency, signalling growing pressure in the workplace to keep up with rapid changes.
Generational divides are clear.
As per TD, 32 percent of Gen Z respondents said AI is more of an opportunity than a threat to future jobs. The figure dropped to 23 percent for Millennials, 18 percent for Gen X, and 19 percent for Boomers.
AI’s impact on productivity also varied across age groups.
The report showed 56 percent of Canadians who use AI at work said it improves their output, with Gen Z (69 percent) and Millennials (59 percent) more likely to report productivity gains compared with Gen X (50 percent) and Boomers (38 percent).
Despite the perceived benefits, adoption of workplace AI tools remains limited.
TD reported that while 58 percent of Canadian employees use AI provided by their employer, only 8 percent use these tools daily, 14 percent weekly, and 13 percent monthly.
Forty-two percent of workers said they never use them.
Kirsti Racine, vice president of the TD AI Technology Platform, said, “We know that adopting new technologies can feel daunting — for both the organizations themselves and colleagues.”
She explained that TD is taking a targeted approach by working with business lines and employees to roll out AI solutions where the benefits are immediate, which has led to increased engagement and adoption of the tools.
Training emerged as the most significant barrier.
TD reported that 64 percent of Canadian workers using AI said they have not received adequate training from their employer, and 27 percent strongly disagreed that their workplace provided sufficient guidance.
More than half of employees surveyed believe their colleagues do not understand AI, while 48 percent said their managers are out of touch.
Tina Robinet, senior vice president of Human Resources, Shared Services at TD, said, “AI is transforming the workplace and creating powerful new opportunities for growth, learning, and career advancement.”
She added that TD views AI as a way to support employees, with a focus on building confidence around new technologies.
The Bank highlighted targeted adoption efforts, citing an 80 percent engagement rate with Microsoft Office 365 Copilot and 92 percent with GitHub Copilot among certain employee groups.
Positive feedback has centred on augmented code and document creation.
The findings show that employees value AI but want guidance, skills development, and leadership to use it effectively.
Recognizing the generational differences, addressing training gaps, and supporting meaningful adoption are ways organizations can respond to these workforce expectations and position themselves as attentive to employee needs.
