Abstract
In 21st-century workplaces, where the pace of digital change is fast, ethical issues are exponential, with 70% workers indicating unease due to AI. In particular, millennials and Gen Z expressed 30% more ethical and trust-related concerns in AI workplaces. Although AI rapid integration in workplaces has increased lately, including Healthcare and IT, generational differences in digital ethics perceptions remain a neglected aspect of influencing employee well-being, and that is what this review seeks to determine with the following objectives: i) to synthesize existing research on generational attitudes toward digital ethics in AI-driven healthcare and IT workplaces. ii) to examine the relationship between generational attitudes toward digital ethics and employee well-being, including stress, trust, and job satisfaction, among employees aged 24 to 55 in AI-driven health and IT workplaces, and iii) to identify research gaps and provide practical recommendations for organizations to foster ethical AI adoption through training, clear policies, and inclusive practices in multigenerational workplaces. Following the PRISMA framework, a systematic review was conducted, and data were sourced across three databases, i.e., ScienceDirect, PubMed, and Google Scholar, using keywords “digital ethics”, generational differences”, well-being, and AI workplaces with Boolean operators. A total of 33 full-text studies were included that met the inclusion criteria. The results showed a significant generational disparity in the interpretation of digital ethics, with the younger employees being more accepting and the older generation being more concerned about AI-related privacy and transparency. Such perceptual differences affect employees’ psychological well-being, trust, stress, and job satisfaction, more particularly in the field of healthcare, regarding ethical sensitivity related to patient data privacy.
References
Allen, L., Xu, W., Nishikitani, M., Patil, V. A., & Bradley, D. (2023). Age bias in artificial intelligence (AI): A visual properties analysis of AI images of older versus younger people. Innovation in Aging, 7(Supplement_1), 986. https://doi.org/10.1093/geroni/igad104.3168
Ara, F. M., Afia, & Anjuman. (2024). Integrating artificial intelligence and big data in mobile health: A systematic review of innovations and challenges in healthcare systems. Global Mainstream Journal of Arts, Literature, History & Education, 3(1), 1–16. https://doi.org/10.62304/jbedpm.v3i01.70
Bonin, A. L., Smolinski, P. R., & Winiarski, J. (2025). Exploring the impact of generative artificial intelligence on software development in the IT sector: Preliminary findings on productivity, efficiency, and job security. https://arxiv.org/pdf/2508.16811
Budhwar, P., Chowdhury, S., Wood, G., Aguinis, H., Bamber, G. J., Beltran, J. R., … Varma, A. (2023). Human resource management in the age of generative artificial intelligence: Perspectives and research directions on ChatGPT. Human Resource Management Journal, 33(3), 606–659. https://doi.org/10.1111/1748-8583.12524
Chu, C. H., Nyrup, R., Leslie, K., Shi, J., Bianchi, A., Lyn, A., … Grenier, A. (2022). Digital ageism: Challenges and opportunities in artificial intelligence for older adults. Gerontologist, 62(7), 947–955. https://doi.org/10.1093/geront/gnab167
Cinalioglu, Elbaz, Sekhon, & Sekhon. (2022). Exploring younger versus older Canadians’ perceptions of the use of AI in healthcare. The American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 30(4), S124–S125. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jagp.2022.01.031
Dierendonck, D., Lam, H., & van Dierendonck, C. (2022). Interventions to enhance eudaemonic psychological well-being: A meta-analytic review with Ryff’s Scales of Psychological Well-being. https://doi.org/10.1111/aphw.12398
Dimock, M. (2019). Defining generations: Where Millennials end and Generation Z begins. Pew Research Center, 17(1), 1-7. http://tony-silva.com/eslefl/miscstudent/downloadpagearticles/defgenerations-pew.pdf
Erikson, E. (1998). The life cycle completed (Extended version, Vol. 1). https://philpapers.org/rec/ERITLC
Farbod, S. (2024). Exploring the dark side of AI-enabled services: Impacts on customer experience and well-being [Report]. http://essay.utwente.nl/98773/
Gorrindo, T., Fishel, A., & Beresin, E. V. (2012). Understanding technology use throughout development: What Erik Erikson would say about toddler tweets and Facebook friends. Focus, 10(3), 282–292. https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.focus.10.3.282
Humboldt, S., Miguel, I., Valentim, J. P., Costa, A., Low, G., & Leal, I. (2023). Is age an issue? Psychosocial differences in perceived older workers’ work (un)adaptability, effectiveness, and workplace age discrimination. Educational Gerontology, 49(8), 687–699. https://doi.org/10.1080/03601277.2022.2156657
Igwama, G. T., Nwankwo, E. I., Emeihe, E. V., & Ajegbile, M. D. (2024). Enhancing maternal and child health in rural areas through AI and mobile health solutions. International Journal of Biology and Pharmacy Research Updates, 4(1), 35–50. https://doi.org/10.53430/ijbpru.2024.4.1.0028
Jetha, A., Bakhtari, H., Rosella, L. C., Gignac, M. A. M., Biswas, A., Shahidi, F. V., … Smith, P. M. (2023). Artificial intelligence and the work–health interface: A research agenda for a technologically transforming world of work. American Journal of Industrial Medicine, 66(10), 815–830. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajim.23517
Kalogiannis, D. (2025). The impact of digital skills perceptions on work-related anxiety and motivation among late-career employees within the grey digital divide. http://arno.uvt.nl/show.cgi?fid=183644
Keshavarz, H., Saeidnia, H. R., & Wang, T. (2025). Navigating technostress: A deep dive into health practitioners’ technological challenges in hospital settings. BMC Health Services Research, 25(1), 1–9. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-024-12196-1
Kolla, G., Bowles, J. M., Upham, K., Ali, H., Pinch, S., Majid, H., … Mitra, S. (2025). The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on access to harm reduction and treatment services among people who inject drugs in Toronto, Canada: A qualitative investigation. SSM - Qualitative Research in Health, 8, 100569. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssmqr.2025.100569
Lee, J. (2024). Working in the era of AI: Balancing AI integration and employee well-being across contexts and cultures. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.11181970
Mantello, P., Ho, M. T., Nguyen, M. H., & Vuong, Q. H. (2023). Bosses without a heart: Socio-demographic and cross-cultural determinants of attitude toward emotional AI in the workplace. AI and Society, 38(1), 97–119. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00146-021-01290-1
Milkus, K. (2024). Influence of the perception an employee has of artificial intelligence on its adoption in the workplace. https://epublications.vu.lt/object/elaba:210547269/
Mujtaba, B. G. (2025). Human-AI intersection: Understanding the ethical challenges, opportunities, and governance protocols for a changing data-driven digital world. Business Ethics and Leadership, 9(1), 109–126. https://doi.org/10.61093/bel.9(1).109-126.2025
Obreja, D. M., Rughiniș, R., & Rosner, D. (2025). Mapping the multidimensional trend of generative AI: A bibliometric analysis and qualitative thematic review. Computers in Human Behavior Reports, 17, 100576. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chbr.2024.100576
Page, M. J., McKenzie, J. E., Bossuyt, P. M., Boutron, I., Hoffmann, T. C., Mulrow, C. D., … Moher, D. (2021). The PRISMA 2020 statement: An updated guideline for reporting systematic reviews. The BMJ, 372. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.n71
Poenaru, L., Floriana, Diaconescu, & Vlad. (2025). Bridging technology and talent: Gen Z’s take on AI in recruiting and hiring. https://doi.org/10.53465/CEECBE.2025.9788022552257.273-288
Randriamiary, D. (2024). Reframing the role of leaders: Navigating the challenges and opportunities of tomorrow’s workplace in the age of artificial intelligence. SSRN Electronic Journal. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4716033
Ryff, C. D., & Keyes, C. L. M. (1995). The structure of psychological well-being revisited. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 69(4), 719. https://psycnet.apa.org/fulltext/1996-08070-001.html
Sadeghi, S. (2024). Employee well-being in the age of AI: Perceptions, concerns, behaviors, and outcomes. http://arxiv.org/abs/2412.04796
Sargent, C. S., Koohang, A., Floyd, K., & Kilburn, R. (2024). Issues in information systems artificial intelligence: Ethical concerns, trust, and risk. Issues in Information Systems, 25(2), 71–83. https://doi.org/10.48009/2_iis_2024_106
Sergeeva, O. V., Zheltukhina, M. R., Shoustikova, T., Tukhvatullina, L. R., Dobrokhotov, D. A., & Kondrashev, S. V. (2025). Understanding higher education students’ adoption of generative AI technologies: An empirical investigation using UTAUT2. Contemporary Educational Technology, 17(2), 571. https://doi.org/10.30935/cedtech/16039
Shandilya, E., Fan, & Mingming. (2022). Understanding older adults’ perceptions and challenges in using AI-enabled everyday technologies. ACM International Conference Proceeding Series, 105–116. https://doi.org/10.1145/3565698.3565774
Shrestha, A. K., Barthwal, A., Campbell, M., Shouli, A., Syed, S., Joshi, S., & Vassileva, J. (2024). Navigating AI to unpack youth privacy concerns: An in-depth exploration and systematic review. 2024 IEEE Annual Information Technology, Electronics, and Mobile Communication Conference.
Shrestha, A., & Giri. (2021). Mixed-methods research: A discussion on its types, challenges, and criticisms. Journal of Practical Studies in Education, 2(2), 25–36. https://doi.org/10.46809/jpse.v2i2.20
Strauss, W. (1991). Generations: The history of America’s future, 1584 to 2069. Harper Perennial. https://cir.nii.ac.jp/crid/1130000797332460288
Tortorella, G. L., Powell, D., Hines, P., Mac Cawley Vergara, A., Tlapa-Mendoza, D., & Vassolo, R. (2025). How does artificial intelligence impact employees’ engagement in lean organizations? International Journal of Production Research, 63(3), 1011–1027. https://doi.org/10.1080/00207543.2024.2368698
Tung, H. M. (2023). Emotional artificial intelligence and its social and ethical implications in Japan: A mixed-method study. https://ritsumei.repo.nii.ac.jp/?action=repository_action_common_download&item_id=18349&item_no=1&attribute_id=20&file_no=3
Venkatesh, V., Morris, M. G., Davis, G. B., & Davis, F. D. (2003). User acceptance of information technology: Toward a unified view. MIS Quarterly, 27(3), 425–478. https://doi.org/10.2307/30036540
Wang, Y., & Wang. (2025). Investigating L2 writers’ critical AI literacy in AI-assisted writing: An APSE model. Journal of Second Language Writing, 67, 101187. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jslw.2025.101187