Employees are happy for AI to guide benefits choices – but not decide them

Benifex looks at how AI is transforming HR and reward, and what’s coming next for People teams.

Millions of us are already using AI every day. We’re leaning on tools such as ChatGPT, Gemini and CoPilot to handle tedious, time-consuming tasks. Getting work done feels faster, smoother and easier.

Benifex’s latest research shows that adoption is leading to acceptance. The majority of workers are warming to it - seeing the upside more than before.

Just under half (47%) of employees feel more positive about the use of AI than they did a year ago. Only 15% feel more negative.

Employees see how AI can save them time on everyday tasks, provide them with smarter insights to do their jobs better, and open up new opportunities to progress their careers.

Of course, some people are still worried about what AI will mean for them - around a quarter feel it will make their jobs less secure, and 22% are nervous about new risks it might create.

One of the most interesting findings is generational

Millennials tend to see AI as a partner. But Gen Z - the so-called digital natives - are more cautious. Their views are closer to Gen X and Boomers. The likely reason for this is that it could be that entry-level jobs and graduate opportunities are harder to come by, and AI can feel more like a threat than a support.

When it comes to benefits, employees are comfortable with AI helping them - surfacing the right options, suggesting what might fit their needs, even offering advice on choices. With 62% of employees admitting they’re not sure if they’re making the most of their benefits, you can see why people are happy for AI to lend a hand.

But there’s a clear line: employees aren’t ready to let AI make decisions for them. Selecting benefits or authorising payments? That’s still human territory. They’re not ready to let AI take control… yet.

Once again, Gen Z workers are more cautious than Millennials about using AI as a decision partner or autonomous agent in benefits management. For People teams, that’s a crucial insight.

Designing trusted AI experiences means knowing exactly where employees are comfortable with support - and where they expect the control to remain with them.

AI is redefining benefits - and it’s delivering today

The findings are clear: AI isn’t reimagining the future of benefits - it’s defining the present. Employees are already embracing the technology that helps them navigate choice, find clarity, and make smarter decisions about their wellbeing and rewards. But trust is still the foundation - people want AI to guide, not decide.

For HR and reward professionals, this is where opportunity meets responsibility. AI is freeing People teams from admin, surfacing insights that were once buried in data, and transforming benefits technology from tactical to strategic. It’s delivering more transparent, consistent and human-centred experiences - for employees and the business alike.

Benifex’s report, How People teams are using AI to cover more ground and deliver better benefits experiences can be downloaded here.