Study Examines How Older Workers Adapt to Generative AI in Bridge Employment
A qualitative study of 21 older workers in bridge employment found that generative AI is causing both temporal and structural disruptions across all stages of their workforce re-entry decision-making. Older workers responded by reconfiguring tasks through 'boundary work' — a set of adaptive strategies the researchers term 'AI resilience' — to restore stability and continuity. The findings matter because they highlight a vulnerable population disproportionately affected by AI-driven workplace change, with implications for policy and organizational design.
Researchers conducted in-depth semi-structured interviews with 21 professionals in bridge employment — transitional work older adults take before final retirement — to examine how generative AI (GenAI) is reshaping their workplace experiences. The study found that GenAI disruptions were not isolated incidents but permeated every stage of bridge employment decision-making, creating both temporal (timing-related) and structural challenges. In response, participants engaged in various forms of boundary work to redefine their roles and responsibilities, a pattern the authors conceptualize as 'AI resilience.' This resilience transformed what might otherwise be a straightforward job transition into an ongoing process of negotiation and adaptation. The authors warn that relying solely on individual-level coping strategies risks increasing burnout among older workers, and recommend complementing personal resilience with meso-level collective support structures and macro-level organizational reforms that make AI systems more contestable and adversarially accountable. The paper is accepted to CHIWORK 2026.
What's missing
The study relies on a small sample of 21 participants, and the paper does not detail their demographic breakdown, industries, or geographic distribution, limiting generalizability. It is also unclear how participants were recruited, raising potential selection bias concerns. The study is qualitative and cannot establish causal relationships between GenAI adoption and specific outcomes for older workers.
What different sources said
- arXiv cs.AICenter
Concerns and Strategic Responses of Older Workers Navigating Generative AI in Bridge Employment
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