You've heard the story: Older adults are afraid of technology. They don’t know how to use technology. They don’t adapt quickly to new technology. Blah, blah, blah.
Frankly, it’s the story that’s old. It’s also wrong. And, most importantly, it’s damaging, especially as we navigate new technology, such as generative AI, in a multigenerational workforce. Gen Xers are the second largest group in today’s workforce, a tick behind younger millennials. Together, Gen X and baby boomers make up nearly half of the five-generation workforce.
Newsflash: Stereotypes notwithstanding, older workers have been adapting to tech changes throughout their working lives, and their desire for new skills shows they have no intention of slowing down. This is an opportunity staring employers right in the face.
Gen X and AI
Consider this: Workplace computers became standard issue between the mid-to-late 1980s, so around 40 years ago. Workers who are part of Gen X are now ages 46 to 61. Even the youngest among them have been in the workforce for 30 years or close to it. Technology is not new to them. They’ve been using it most of their careers.
CWI Works, a nonprofit that connects adults 55 and older with employers, gave me an exclusive sneak peek at a couple of the findings around Gen X in its CWI Works Longevity Outlook Survey 2026, which is out on Sept. 14.
The survey found that 71 percent of Gen Xers have already used generative AI. This is on par with 74 percent of millennials who say they’ve used the technology.
Mid-career workers are already testing out the technology, and they’re ready to learn even more. According to the CWI Works survey, 41 percent of Gen X are “very or extremely interested in learning newer AI and digital skills.”
Employers should be ecstatic to hear this, and they should proactively embrace this opportunity to train and upskill the incumbent workforce they already have in place.
Ageism is real
Older workers bring experience, judgment, resilience, and economic value, yet they’re often viewed by employers through outdated assumptions about technology and adaptability.
Ageism is a real concern in today’s job market, driven in part by these outdated notions of older adults and tech. Nearly two-thirds (64 percent) of workers aged 50 and older report seeing or experiencing age discrimination in the workplace.
Once out of a job, older workers find it hard to get back into the labor market. Long-term unemployment — defined as being out of work for 27 weeks or more — increases as workers age. Adults in the 20-to-24-year-old age group usually have the shortest period of unemployment and 55-to-64-year-olds generally have the longest. In August, those numbers were 22.1 weeks and 46.2 weeks, respectively.
It’s cheaper to reskill than onboard
Intentionally fostering the older workers in your midst can strengthen your workforce. You get the benefit of their existing experience and institutional knowledge. They’ve proven that they can adapt to change. And helping to sharpen their skills is cheaper than hiring a new employee, saving an employer money in the long run.
The direct cost alone to replace a worker averages about $4,129, according to SHRM. That doesn’t count the expense of recruiting, onboarding, and lost productivity before a new hire reaches the same level of expertise of the employee they’re replacing, which could add up to tens of thousands of dollars.
The strength of the multigenerational workforce
Importantly, retraining current mid-career and older workers to be even more AI-ready is good for your overall workforce.
As it happens, co-workers of all ages like working with colleagues from different generations. According to the CWI Works Longevity Outlook Survey 2026, 62 percent of all adults say working with colleagues from different generations “affects their work positively.” Millennials and Gen Z are particularly keen: Adults 18 to 34 were most likely to say working with colleagues from different generations affects their work positively (68 percent).
The evidence is clear: Gen X workers are not standing on the sidelines of the AI revolution. They’re already using the technology, eager to build new skills, and bringing decades of experience to the table. Employers that allow age-based assumptions to shape hiring and training decisions risk losing proven talent, institutional knowledge, and the benefits of a truly multigenerational workforce.
The smarter move is to invest in the people already in place by making AI training accessible across age groups, measuring participation and outcomes, and treating mid-career and older workers as essential partners in the future of work.
Ramona Schindelheim is the editor-in-chief of The Future of Work(ers) newsletter and a Top Voice on LinkedIn on the workforce.
