The AI revolution is intensifying the storm impacting Generation Z in the U.S. At a recent discussion in San Francisco, senior executives from job platform LinkedIn emphasized that, in the future, highly educated individuals will no longer have an edge in the job market. Over the past year, job postings requiring AI literacy have surged by 70%; adaptability is now the most valuable new currency in the workplace.
Almost all recent employment market reports have been unfavorable for Generation Z. According to research from the Stanford University Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence, since OpenAI launched ChatGPT in the past three years, employment among the 22-to-25 age group has dropped by 13%. In sectors most impacted by AI, seasoned workers’ employment remains relatively stable, raising concerns that industries may soon face a talent gap.
The AI revolution is continuing to sweep through society, and this phenomenon is especially evident in the San Francisco Bay Area, densely populated with high-tech companies.
Luo Ziyuan, a Taiwanese student at Northeastern University Oakland, shared his job-seeking experience with CNA, noting that companies must showcase their own AI capabilities and cost-saving measures to the public. As a result, many entry-level positions have been eliminated.
LinkedIn CEO Ryan Roslansky, at a recent fireside chat in San Francisco, issued a warning, stating that things are unlikely to improve in the future, and a high level of education may not be applicable in the job market of tomorrow.
The American media outlets “Business Insider” and “Fortune” reported on June 2nd that Roslansky’s remarks reveal LinkedIn’s internal observations on the ongoing upheaval. Roslansky noted that AI skills will be more advantageous than degrees in the future; his view is that AI will not replace all humans, but will replace those who lack AI-related skills.
LinkedIn's data show that job postings requiring AI literacy have grown by about 70% over the past year.
Besides AI skills, Roslansky said those who possess three qualities will be especially sought after in the future workplace: strong adaptability, forward-thinking mindset, and a willingness to learn and embrace new tools. On a positive note, this in some ways opens up a whole new stage, allowing more people the opportunity to compete—“this is something we’ve never seen before.”
LinkedIn’s chief economist Karin Kimbrough, speaking at the same event, said adaptability is the new currency, carrying considerable value, and candidly admitted that AI is changing many things, which is somewhat scary.
Even so, Roslansky emphasized that interpersonal skills will still be highly valued.
Silicon Valley has produced many entrepreneurs who dropped out of college, such as Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman—current leaders in the AI field—both of whom succeeded without a college degree. Amid this AI wave, the significance of higher education is once again a topic of debate. (Source: CNA)