According to a recent Gallup survey, 41% of Generation Z workers feel anxious about generative artificial intelligence (AI), even though nearly 47% use it weekly. This “digital native” group grew up between 1997 and 2012, using the internet, smartphones, and social media. They’ll have the longest work-life duration with AI.
AI offers an almost limitless range of opportunities for the future. Andrew Ng, AI researcher and DeepLearning AI founder, has said that “artificial intelligence is the new electricity.” But is Gen Z prepared for such a significant disruption? And how can leaders guide them?
It’s critical for both leaders and Gen Z not only to keep up with the rapid evolution of AI but also to feel confident using it and to address skills gaps through ongoing soft skills training. Leaders must also understand how societal and workplace expectations are shifting – and how learning and development (L&D) strategies must adapt.
Seasoned leaders should start by understanding the learning needs and values of their Gen Z employees. The Covid-19 pandemic and turbulent social and economic times have fostered resilience and adaptability among this generation, often cited as highly educated and curious.
According to the 2021 LinkedIn Workplace Learning Report, 76% of Gen Z professional workers see learning as crucial for their career success. Another LinkedIn survey found that nearly half prefer a fully self-directed learning approach and want time to focus on their development.
The Gen Z workforce also prefers open discussion, live learning, idea sharing, more frequent feedback, and the ability to communicate via email, text, or instant messaging. They want a strong learning culture within their organization.
Leaders should ask themselves: Did Gen Z’s formal education prepare them to use AI in real time? Did it prepare them for what lies ahead? What skills do they need, and how quickly can they be trained so AI does not engulf their responsibilities?
The answers to these questions will help clarify the gap between Gen Z’s education and the AI skills required today. This will inform the immediate and ongoing training needed to build and maintain confidence as AI technology evolves. Gen Z is projected to make up 30% of the workforce by 2030, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, making this work urgent.
To maintain productivity, support career growth, and protect the company’s bottom line, ongoing training, AI upskilling, and mentorship must keep pace with AI advances. Human resources (HR) professionals and L&D leaders must develop human-centric strategies to upskill the Gen Z workforce and support both employee retention and business success.
What Does AI Training Look Like?
As AI rapidly evolves, organizations must provide ongoing AI literacy training to all their employees. Core training may include:
- Best practices: Encourage adoption by providing hands-on practice with AI tools, including clear guidelines on responsible use.
- Writing prompts: Boost Gen Z’s confidence in AI by teaching them how to craft effective prompts to generate quality outputs.
- Evaluating AI shortfalls: Help employees spot inaccuracies, verify information, and recognize hallucinations by fact-checking and ensuring the validity of sources and data.
- Collaborating with AI: Show Gen Z how offloading simple tasks to AI creates time for more meaningful, higher-performing tasks.
What Soft Skills Training Is Required in the Age of AI?
As Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic and Reece Akhtar note, “Just like the industrial revolution mechanized physical labor, AI is mechanizing intellectual capital.” Human skills like communication, critical thinking, creativity, emotional intelligence, adaptability, and ethical decision-making matter now more than ever.
AI does not have the capacity to be an emotionally intelligent, critical thinker who can connect with team members and guide meaningful progress. Organizations and Gen Z employees are recognizing the growing importance of cultivating stronger soft skills. According to a survey, 63% of Gen Z workers believe AI integration should be accompanied by soft skills training.
Soft skills training can be paired with hands-on AI practice so that employees learn both how to use new tools and how to navigate the workforce changes those tools bring.
“Soft skills training can be paired with hands-on AI practice so that employees learn both how to use new tools and how to navigate the workforce changes those tools bring.”
How Can AI Help Gen Z with Their Career Path and Ongoing Learning?
Because Gen Z employees prefer a fully self-directed and independent learning approach, AI can help personalize development plans. L&D leaders can:
- Conduct a gap analysis. If an employee wants to advance in the company but does not know what skills they need for the role they want, L&D leaders can feed the job description and their resume into an AI tool and prompt it to identify the skills gaps.
- Build a curriculum. AI can offer personalized course recommendations based on their interests, educational experiences, and market trends. L&D leaders, in turn, can create personalized learning paths that address these skill gaps and allow employees to choose when, how, and what they learn.
- Offer networking opportunities. L&D leaders can also share AI-recommended in-person and virtual networking opportunities with peers and other industry leaders to help Gen Z employees make career connections.
The AI revolution is about more than new technology. It’s about strengthening the human skills that enable effective collaboration. To ease Gen Z’s anxiety, AI should be framed as a tool, not a threat. L&D training that builds adaptability, communication, and emotional resilience helps Gen Z feel confident and in control as AI becomes a constant companion in the workplace.
By Lucy Erker