Employers want to hire Gen Z workers who have knowledge of AI: ‘You were born into this shift'
Titans of the tech industry have taken to social media and other public speaking engagements to reassure Gen-Z, the newest members of the workforce, that AI won't be detrimental to job availability — in fact, it might be able to aid in their employment.
'AI is changing everything, faster than most institutions, companies or curriculums can keep pace with. But no, that doesn't mean your education or potential is obsolete. It means we have to think differently about what growth and opportunity look like,' wrote LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman in a recent post on the platform.
Advertisement
'You were born into this shift. You're native to these tools in a way that older generations aren't. Lean into it. Teach others.'
5 'You are Generation AI,' LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman wrote online, addressing recent graduates.
REUTERS
'You don't have to become an engineer to use AI powerfully,' Hoffman advised. 'Think about how to apply it creatively, how to solve real problems with it, how to collaborate with it. One of your first reactions to any challenge should be 'How can I use AI to help me here?''
Advertisement
5 According to a study by KPMG and the University of Melbourne, 4 in 5 students use AI regularly in their studies.
Supatman – stock.adobe.com
Hoffman isn't the only one at his level who is optimistic about AI's influence on the workforce — other high-level tech execs offered similar thoughts about the future landscape of the job market.
5 On June 17, Amazon CEO Andy Jassy shared company-wide updates about the tech giant's use of AI.
REUTERS
Amazon CEO Andy Jassy shared that the implementation of generative AI will likely 'reduce' the company's corporate workforce.
Advertisement
AI 'should change the way our work is done,' wrote Jassy in a memo distributed to employees and posted publicly.
'Those who embrace this change, become conversant in AI, help us build and improve our AI capabilities internally and deliver for customers, will be well-positioned to have high impact and help us reinvent the company,' he added.
5 AI is being implemented into numerous industries and products, ranging from websites to cars, as seen at this Tesla showcase.
JEANNE ACCORSINI/SIPA/Shutterstock
Overall, the message coming from industry leaders is that being adaptive and willing to incorporate AI into current professional practices is the real key to being well-positioned for the future job market — but this idea is being obscured under encouraging niceties that are fed to Gen-Z.
Advertisement
'Whilst they may be at an advantage with their AI skills more so than previous generations, they will still need the practical, world-wise experience to flush out any AI inconsistencies and errors that older workers will possess,' Keith Arundale, a visiting fellow at the UK's Henley Business School, told Newsweek.
'Comfort without mastery can backfire. Gen Z's early exposure is an advantage, but it isn't a golden ticket,' agreed Fabian Stephany, assistant professor for AI and Work at the University of Oxford, in an interview with Newsweek.
5 Anthropic is the AI company, co-founded by Dario Amodei, responsible for the popular large language model (LLM) AI chatbot, Claude.
AP
Despite the positive packaging that this potential employment crisis tends to be wrapped up in, some top tech figures remain skeptical.
Automation and increased usage of AI by large companies is 'going to happen in a small amount of time — as little as a couple of years or less,' Dario Amodei, CEO of AI company Anthropic, told Axios.
'We, as the producers of this technology, have a duty and an obligation to be honest about what is coming. I don't think this is on people's radar,' Amodei continued.
In reality, Gen-Z isn't necessarily better equipped to handle the demands of modern-day jobs just because of a generational familiarity with AI. They still need soft skills and the social abilities to properly navigate dilemmas that professional environments often pose — employers and industry leaders just tend to leave that part out.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
12 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Volvo Cars Q2 operating profit falls as tariffs bite
STOCKHOLM (Reuters) -Sweden-based Volvo Cars reported a steep fall in second-quarter adjusted operating profit on Thursday and said demand remain under pressure as tariffs hits. Its quarterly operating profit excluding items affecting comparability fell to 2.9 billion Swedish crowns ($297.89 million) from 8.0 billion a year ago. ($1 = 9.7352 Swedish crowns) Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
17 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Veteran trader surprises with Palantir price target and comments
Veteran trader surprises with Palantir price target and comments originally appeared on TheStreet. It's not every day that a company gets compared with a soccer phenom and a legacy tech outfit, but then Palantir () isn't your everyday company. The Denver data-analytics-software company's stock price touched a record $149.57 on July 14, sparked by growing demand for its artificial intelligence tools. 💵💰Don't miss the move: Subscribe to TheStreet's free daily newsletter 💰 Government contracts accounted for roughly 55% of Palantir's total revenue in 2024, and its software is used across several federal agencies, including the Department of Defense, the CIA, and the Department of Homeland Security. On July 10, Wedbush analyst Dan Ives raised the investment firm's price target on Palantir to $160 from $140 while affirming an outperform rating on the shares. Ives said recent checks and growing confidence in the company's AI strategy are key to the bull thesis on Palantir playing out for the next 12 to 18 months. Analyst: Palantir is core winner in AI outlays Wedbush says Palantir has a "golden path to become the next Oracle" over the coming years, referring to the legacy tech company. While PLTR's valuation is expensive today, Ives said, he sees "the Messi of AI" as a core winner in the trillions of AI spending over the next few years, a nod to Argentine soccer sensation Lionel Messi. More Palantir Veteran fund manager reboots Palantir stock price target As Palantir stock soars, veteran trader makes surprising call Palantir reacts to controversial New York Times allegations Palantir remains one of its top names to own in the "Ives AI 30," the analyst said. Its game-changing AIP strategy is quickly becoming a key foundational platform for enterprises developing uses for artificial intelligence in their operations and offerings. The company's government work has also made Palantir a source of controversy. Palantir is building a new tool to provide Immigration and Customs Enforcement with enhanced capabilities to support deportation efforts, Axios reported in May Protesters across the U.S. have targeted Palantir due to its work with ICE, and demonstrators protested outside the company's offices in several locations. In the past Alex Karp, Palantir's co-founder and chief executive, has said that Palantir is "proud to be working with the U.S. government" and that American companies have a "moral obligation" to support the country. TheStreet Pro's Stephen Guilfoyle has strong feelings about Palantir as well. While he's fond of his holdings in Rocket Lab () and SoFi Technologies () — "those two are almost like children to me" — the veteran trader said "they pale in comparison to the greatest trade I have made in my now almost 40-year career as a professional trader and almost 50 years since I started trading." TheStreet Pro's Guilfoyle: Palantir indispensable to key sectors "Probably one of the real winners when it comes to monetizing their AI services platform," he said. "The firm has made itself indispensable as a U.S. and allied defense contractor, and to nondefense government agencies and the corporate world as well." Guilfoyle, whose career dates back to the floor of the New York Stock Exchange in the 1980s, said he'd been waiting for someone else to compete effectively in this space."I once thought perhaps Snowflake () would be the one, but still, as far as I can tell, nobody is even close," he said, Palantir is the only stock that Guilfoyle has named as his stock of the year two years in a row. "From the time I initiated PLTR for Real Money Pro (now TheStreet Pro), PLTR is up a mere 2,192%," Guilfoyle said. "Rock and roll, kids. Just for the record, I still get fired up about 10% and 20% gains in the stocks I trade." Guilfoyle cited the recent NATO 2025 Summit at the Hague that wrapped up in June, where the group approved an increase in defense spending for member nations to 5% of GDP, as demanded by President Donald Trump, "Tanks, artillery, aircraft, naval craft, missiles and missile defense technology will all be in demand, though some of those technologies might have something in common with yesterday's roast beef," he said. Guilfoyle said that intelligence produced through data-based and AI-assisted analysis will only grow in significance. And not just for strategic purposes, "but because it is cost-effective relative to purchasing submarines and fighter aircraft." "This plays straight into the hands of a firm like Palantir," he said. These nations have pledged to upspend on defense, yet most of them are also fiscally strapped. They, in my opinion, are going to spend where they get the most bang for their expense." Guilfoyle reiterated his price target for Palantir at $181, noting that "our current target is the high target on Wall Street and as usual most of Wall Street is still playing catchup."Veteran trader surprises with Palantir price target and comments first appeared on TheStreet on Jul 15, 2025 This story was originally reported by TheStreet on Jul 15, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
32 minutes ago
- Yahoo
One of the most critical AI companies in the world just said it ‘cannot confirm' growth in 2026, wiping out $30 billion
Shares of ASML, the Dutch semiconductor equipment giant, tumbled 11% on Wednesday after the company announced it could no longer confirm that it will grow in 2026. The drop wiped out over $30 billion in market value and sent shockwaves through global tech markets, as investors digested the implications for the broader semiconductor and AI industries. The selloff followed ASML's second-quarter earnings report, which beat expectations on revenue and net profit, with robust bookings of $6.4 billion. However, CEO Christophe Fouquet's comments overshadowed the strong results: 'While we still prepare for growth in 2026, we cannot confirm it at this stage,' he said, citing escalating macroeconomic and geopolitical uncertainty, especially the threat of new tariffs on semiconductor equipment. Smart money watches ASML for signals on the tech cycle's health; a growth warning here may be the market's early clue that the AI and semiconductor supercycle is reaching a plateau—or at least preparing for turbulence. Why ASML's outlook matters more than most This isn't just a company-specific event—it could be a canary in the coal mine for the global tech and AI ecosystem. Why? ASML is the world's exclusive supplier of EUV lithography machines—the ultra-precise fabrication equipment that makes cutting-edge semiconductors possible. Every state-of-the-art AI accelerator, every data-center chip that powers generative AI, traces its technological lineage back to ASML's tools. So when ASML tells the market it 'cannot confirm' growth for 2026—despite beating on current earnings—it's signaling not just caution about its own pipeline, but a potential inflection point in the most future-critical segment of the electronics supply chain. In other words: if ASML's order book slows, it means that downstream chipmakers may anticipate softer demand, have rising uncertainty about capex returns, or are bracing for policy headwinds. The context matters: This is a moment when AI demand has been surging, but in 2025 it's now colliding with macro uncertainty, particularly driven by U.S.-EU tariff threats, China export restrictions, and capex fatigue after a historic tech investment wave. ASML's lead times are 12 to 18 months—with orders today reflecting confidence in global chip demand well into 2026. If that confidence is wavering, it ripples through the entire innovation economy. ASML is not just another tech stock—it is the linchpin of the global semiconductor supply chain. The company is the world's sole supplier of extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography machines, the critical technology that enables the production of the most advanced chips used in everything from AI accelerators to smartphones and data centers. What's behind the growth warning? Several factors converged to cloud ASML's outlook. One was tariff uncertainty. President Trump's threat of 30% tariffs on European imports, including semiconductor equipment, has rattled ASML's customers. The company warned that tariffs on new systems and parts shipped to the U.S., as well as possible retaliatory measures, could directly hit its gross margins and delay customer investment decisions. Ongoing trade disputes and export controls, especially involving China and the U.S., have made it harder for ASML to forecast demand. Clients are increasingly cautious, with some potentially postponing or scaling back orders. While Q2 bookings were strong, Barclays analysts noted ASML would need to double its current order pace to meet previous 2026 growth forecasts. The backlog coverage for 2026 is at its lowest in three years, raising doubts about near-term momentum. Market reaction The market's response was swift and severe as ASML shares fell 11%, their steepest single-day drop since October 2024, when a disappointing third-quarter earnings report led to the stock price falling 16%. Wednesday's selloff dragged down the broader European tech sector and hit U.S. semiconductor equipment peers such as Lam Research and Applied Materials. In contrast, AI chipmakers such as Nvidia and AMD rose, buoyed by positive news on U.S. export policy to China, highlighting a divergence between chip designers and the equipment supply chain. This story was originally featured on
