“The Ultimate Dilemma” Reveals Generational Differences in “Where to Draw the Line on Entrusting Tasks to AI”

With the rapid proliferation of generative AI, the process consumers go through—from gathering information to making a purchase—is undergoing significant changes.

Dentsu Digital Inc. has established the “with AI Lab,” a research organization dedicated to understanding the current state of consumer insights in the AI era and identifying early signs of change.

As part of the lab’s activities, we conducted a large-scale survey to understand consumers in a society permeated by AI. As part of this survey, we included a set of questions titled “The Ultimate Dilemma.”

Rather than simply asking, “Do you want to use AI?” we presented 45 difficult “either/or” questions —such as “A human who is [X] vs. a perfect AI” —to gauge the “boundary of what people are willing to entrust to AI” that lies deep within their hearts.

In this article, we’ll examine excerpts revealing the “decisive differences in AI perceptions across generations”—a generational gap we call the “With AI GAP.”

Written by: Toshiki Mori
General Supervision: Yoshitaka Yamazaki
Design: Kono Ono

Moments When Young People, Who Appreciate AI’s Convenience, Still Value the Imperfection of “Humans”

Teens and young adults in their teens and twenties—who should be the most familiar with AI—repeatedly gave an interesting response in the survey: “I would deliberately choose a human over AI.”

Take, for example, the question about “choosing a gift.”

A. “For gifts for loved ones, such as a partner or family member, I’ll give them something I’ve chosen based on my own taste, even if there’s a risk they might make a subtle face.”
B. “I’ll give them the ‘surefire answer’ that AI has deduced by analyzing their private social media accounts—something that’s guaranteed to make them cry with joy.”

Here, teenagers (72.7%) were the group most likely to choose “selecting based on my own taste,” resulting in a significant lead over all other age groups (which ranged from 63% to 64%).

Perhaps it is precisely because younger people are aware of the convenience of AI—which can efficiently arrive at the “right answer”—that they intuitively feel human sincerity is best expressed through the “uncertain process” of taking time to agonize over a gift for the recipient, even if it might sometimes lead to a misstep.

This trend is also reflected in how people perceive entertainment.

A. “If I found out later that a movie that moved me was 100% AI-generated, it would completely ruin the experience for me.”
B. “My opinion or emotional response wouldn’t change even if I knew it was AI-generated.”

In response to this question, teenagers (67.3%) were the most likely to choose “it would ruin the experience.” This figure is more than 15 percentage points higher than that of people in their 50s and 60s (51–52%).

It seems that precisely because we live in an era overflowing with perfect AI-generated content, teenagers place greater value on the context that “someone created this with passion.”

Furthermore, the same trend can be observed in their choices regarding living environments.

A. “A down-to-earth neighborhood where socializing with neighbors is expected”
B. “A smart city where you don’t have to worry about others for even a second”

In this question, teenagers (57.3%) were the only group where a majority chose the “old-fashioned neighborhood.”

As digital natives, teenagers are adept at using AI and enjoy the “correct answers” and “convenience” it provides more than anyone else. That is precisely why they find human-like reality in the very things AI tends to eliminate—such as failure, detours, and inefficient communication—and are striving to cherish those aspects.

Work, family, life—people in their 30s and 40s choose AI as a “practical means” to reduce daily friction

So, which generation is most eager to embrace AI?

A. “A world where AI replaces all labor, and humans can live without working”
B. “A world where humans continue to work”

When asked which of these they preferred, the highest percentage of respondents—those in their 30s (45.8%)—chose “a world where humans don’t have to work.” This figure stands out clearly when compared to teenagers (32.7%) and those in their 60s (28.3%).

The fact that people in their 30s want AI to take over their work is by no means because they lack motivation to work. Rather, it is precisely because this is a time when important life roles—such as child-rearing and career development—are concentrated that they have a sincere desire to streamline their daily tasks and create even a little “breathing room” for themselves.

This desire for efficiency also extends into highly personal spheres.

A. “If my wife (or husband) gives off an ‘I want you to read my mind’ vibe, I’ll face the situation head-on—even if it’s stressful—and look for a way to resolve it.”
B. “I’ll have AI analyze the current situation and instruct me on the ‘right way to handle it’ without upsetting the other person, so I can get through it without causing a fuss.”

In response to this question, the highest percentage of respondents who chose “to get through it by following AI instructions” were in their 30s (42.2%), followed by those in their 20s (39.8%), surpassing those in their 40s (39.2%), those in their 50s and 60s (38–39%), and teenagers (28.3%).

Even in the complex setting of marital communication, people want to avoid the emotional drain caused by clashes and resolve matters peacefully without causing a stir. Rather than simply being a matter of fatigue, this can be interpreted as a defense mechanism unique to those in their 30s—a way to keep their families, that vital foundation, functioning without breaking down.

The same pattern emerges when it comes to questions about life planning.

A. “A life with room for flexibility, where I make all decisions—including detours and waste—on my own responsibility”
B. “A highly polished life that is the most rational and least prone to failure, guided by AI recommendations”

When asked to choose between these two options, it was also those in their 30s (34.2%) who most frequently selected the “highly polished life.”

Whether it’s work, life, or family relationships—in every area, this generation is striving to make full use of AI as a “tool for reducing friction,” setting aside emotional considerations.

For this generation, AI is less a special technology and more an extremely practical tool for reducing the burden of an increasingly complex daily life, allowing them to devote their limited time and energy to “what truly matters.”

People in Their 50s and 60s: Committed to Their Own Processes, Yet Relying on “AI” to Protect Relationships

On the other hand, the experienced 50–60-somethings take a completely different approach to AI.

A. “Results I achieved 100% on my own, even if others’ evaluations are just so-so”
B. “Perfect results that others praise as genius, even though 90% were created by AI”

When asked to choose between these two options, the percentage of people in their 60s (75.0%) who selected “achievements created entirely on my own” was the highest, with a gap of 15.3 percentage points compared to those in their 20s (59.7%).

Why do people in their 60s place such a strong emphasis on “achievements created entirely on one’s own”? It is likely because, based on their many years of experience, they have come to realize that the true meaning of work and a sense of personal fulfillment lie precisely in the process of creating something—even if it’s rough around the edges or involves getting one’s hands dirty.

So, does this mean that the more experienced generation believes “people are always better”? Actually, there is one specific area where they are far more likely to choose “AI” than younger generations.

This occurs in situations involving “burdens on others or interpersonal relationships.”

For example, consider the question : “If you absolutely had to reveal a secret you were supposed to take to the grave.”

A. “A human best friend who might accidentally let the secret slip”
B. “An AI with a 0.01% risk of leakage but who will never betray you out of emotion”

While 61.0% of teenagers chose “a human best friend,” a majority of those in their 30s and older chose “AI.” In particular, 56.7% of those in their 50s chose “AI,” the highest percentage among all age groups.

The same trend is evident when it comes to “care in old age.”

A. “Human-provided care that offers warm words but puts a strain on family members”
B. “AI robot care that places absolutely no burden on family members”

While only 43.0% of teenagers chose AI robot care, a majority of other generations selected AI. It appears that the desire to rely on AI increases with age.

People in their 50s and 60s seek “personal involvement” in their own work and life journeys, but when it comes to others being involved, they choose AI. This is likely because, based on their many years of experience, they understand better than anyone else the “complexity and fragility of human relationships” and the “pain of burdening others.”

To avoid damaging friendships. To avoid causing trouble for family members.
They choose AI as a “means to prevent risks and burdens from entering their important relationships.” It is not out of cold rationality, but precisely because they want to avoid interpersonal conflicts and show consideration for others that they deliberately choose to use AI rather than humans. This is precisely the mature approach to AI that is unique to a generation with a wealth of experience.

In Conclusion: Generational Perspectives on Life Reflected in “The Boundaries of Entrusting Tasks to AI”

Let’s summarize the three generational profiles we’ve examined so far.

People in their teens and 20s, precisely because they are adept at using the latest technology, find value in the inefficient and uncertain “human-to-human processes” and deliberately choose them.

People in their 30s and 40s—precisely because this is the period in their lives when tasks are most concentrated—rationalize even the emotional realm and welcome AI as a practical means of reducing friction in daily life.

Meanwhile, those in their 50s and 60s, while seeking personal involvement in their own processes, make smart use of AI to avoid the risks of human relationships and the burden placed on others.

The fact that attitudes toward AI differ by age group is by no means due to differences in technological literacy. When faced with AI—an “entity capable of solving everything rationally and efficiently”— the boundaries of each generation’s values —specifically, “what they want to optimize in their own lives and what they want to spend their time on”—become starkly evident.

The ultimate dichotomy we sought to measure — the boundary between “what to entrust to AI and what to leave as the domain of humans” —was not merely a matter of technological acceptance. It clearly revealed our very “philosophy of life”: how we want to live.

[Survey Overview: Screening Survey]
Survey Method and Period: Online survey, May 8–18, 2026
Survey Area: Nationwide
Survey Participants: Men and women aged 15–69 (current private users of generative AI services)
Number of Valid Responses: 3,300