A new study from The Hartford reveals that artificial intelligence is becoming an increasingly important tool for younger employees navigating benefits decisions, as rising living costs push workers to seek clearer financial guidance during open enrollment.
According to The Hartford’s Future of Benefits Study, 43% of U.S. workers say they are often uncertain about whether they are selecting the right benefits. That uncertainty is prompting some employees—particularly younger professionals—to turn to AI-powered search tools such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT for support. While 17% of workers overall used AI to help make benefits decisions, more than half of those users were from Generation Z.
“American workers are getting benefits information from more sources than ever before – HR portals, colleague and peer advice, and now AI,” said Mike Fish, head of Employee Benefits at The Hartford. “Regardless of how they prefer to receive their information, we help our employer clients provide support that’s easy to access using AI-backed tools and clear, simple benefits communication.”
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This research revealed high trust in AI advice among younger generations, with 94% of Gen Z respondents who relied on AI technology during the enrollment process expressing their trust in the advice. Workers used AI to compare benefits options (59%), get general information (55%), obtain personalized recommendations (51%), and estimate expenses (45%). Furthermore, 31% reported using AI technology to decide precisely which coverage they should select.
The analysis also sheds light on other financial issues associated with workers’ benefits selection. Nearly 50% of people are afraid of being able to afford medical expenses in the future, whereas 44% believe that they care more about everyday expenses than financial planning. Moreover, 38% of workers admitted that money worries had a negative impact on their mental health.
Facing constant economic challenges, workers have started to show increased interest in supplementing their benefits with additional coverages in order to be able to handle healthcare expenses and preserve their financial security.
