Generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) is becoming part of everyday work for more than one-third of Canadian workers, but how it is being used varies significantly by occupation.
According to new data from Statistics Canada, 35.9 per cent of Canadian workers reported using GenAI as part of their job or business in the 12 months before March 2026. The data comes from supplementary questions added to the March 2026 Labour Force Survey and represents workers aged 15 to 69.
AI use was highest in professional, scientific and technical services, where 65.6 per cent of workers reported using GenAI. This was followed by finance, insurance, real estate, rental and leasing at 59.2 per cent and educational services at 53 per cent.
AI use was lower in industries such as accommodation and food services, at 16.3 per cent, agriculture at 17.5 per cent and transportation and warehousing at 21.1 per cent.
Among workers who used AI, 63.5 per cent said they used it for some, but not most, of their work tasks. Only 11.6 per cent said they used it for most or almost all of their tasks.
Statistics Canada also grouped occupations according to their potential exposure to AI and whether AI could complement the work being done.
Occupations with high exposure and high complementarity include doctors, nurses, teachers and engineers. This category includes jobs where AI may assist workers with their existing tasks.
Over half, 53.8 per cent, of workers in this category reported using GenAI at work.
High-exposure low complementarity occupations, including retail sales, office support and software development and accounting may have less potential for AI to complement human work and could be susceptible to task replacement. 45.9 per cent of workers in this category reported using AI tools.
Low-exposure occupations may be less likely to be affected by GenAI development. This category includes skilled trades, service jobs and first responders. In this category, only 14.2 per cent of workers reported using AI.
Learning to work with AI
With the growing use of GenAI in the workplace students are entering, the U of C has developed resources aimed at promoting AI literacy.
The Centre for Artificial Intelligence Ethics, Literacy and Integrity (CAIELI), a collaboration between Libraries and Cultural Resources and the Werklund School of Education, is a student-focused initiative intended to promote effective and ethical use of AI. The centre offers an AI Literacy Module designed to introduce students to key AI concepts.
The Taylor Institute for Teaching and Learning also provides resources for students on using GenAI. Its resources include guidance on effective prompt writing, responsible AI use and understanding the benefits and limitations of AI tools.
For students preparing for employment, the Centre for Career and Professional Development (CCPD) encourages thoughtful use of GenAI as part of the job search.
“At CCPD, we encourage students to use GenAI thoughtfully as a support tool for job application writing and interview preparation,” the centre said in a statement to the Gauntlet. “More broadly, we help students stay informed about current workplace trends by connecting them with employers across a variety of industries through information sessions, panels, and other events.”
The CCPD also offers workshops that help students understand how AI technology can be used as a tool for writing documents while expressing themselves.
Still, AI literacy is not universal across the Canadian workforce. Statistics Canada found that 93.4 per cent of workers were aware of GenAI, but only 51.5 per cent said they were familiar with how it could be applied to their current work.
Among workers who did not use GenAI, 56 per cent said the technology was not applicable to their work. Others cited a lack of interest, security or privacy concerns, lack of skills and knowledge, or organizational policies as reasons for not using it.
As students enter a workforce where GenAI use differs from one field to another, the extent to which AI tools become part of their work may depend on their occupation and the tasks they perform.
