A spring 2026 survey by The Seniors indicates that the challenge in Hungary’s AI transition lies with employers rather than workers aged over 45. Nearly 60 percent of employed respondents over 45 reported feeling fully confident using AI-based tools in their daily work. Only a small minority — 9.6 percent — said they are more fearful of the new technology than optimistic about its potential.
Lack of employer responsibility
The research highlights organisational shortcomings: 72.5 percent of senior employees surveyed said their company had taken no concrete steps to prepare them for AI. This suggests that many corporate training and development measures do not specifically target the over‑45 cohort.
Management and strategy gaps
Although 57.9 percent of Hungarian owners and executives stated that retaining senior staff during the AI transition is a priority, nearly half (49.5 percent) admitted they do not yet have a comprehensive AI strategy. At an operational level, the intent is even less visible: only 18.9 percent of HR professionals consider targeted AI preparation for leaders over 45 to be a real priority.
Seniors’ strengths and irreplaceable skills
According to the survey, senior workers consider themselves irreplaceable not because of lexical knowledge but because of human qualities developed over decades. The leadership capabilities deemed least replaceable by AI were: building personal trust (66 percent), recognizing nonverbal cues and workplace moods (51.9 percent), and experience‑based decision‑making in crises (43.9 percent).
Expert comment
Csillag‑Csatlós Csilla, executive coach and founder of The Seniors, said the stereotype of the “AI‑fearing, inflexible boomer” has become a convenient excuse in the local labour market. She argued that responsibility lies with employers: it is not a lack of learning capacity among the over‑45s, but the inability of the Hungarian corporate sector to provide structured training and retain experienced human capital. She added that the rise of AI actually increases the value of human qualities where seniors often excel.
Conclusion
The Seniors’ spring 2026 findings show that most Hungarian companies have not prepared workers aged over 45 for AI, and that strategic and managerial weaknesses exacerbate the problem. The data point to a need for changed corporate practices and deliberate strategies to upskill and retain senior employees rather than blaming the workers themselves.
