AI may still be a relatively new technological advance, but it has worked itself into the daily lives of Gen Zers, not to mention the workplace. Picture it: You’ve come home from a long day of class and you want a brain break before diving into that research paper you’ve been putting off. If you’re like me, you turn to TikTok and are instantly met with an FYP filled with AI face filters or the famous AI song cover trend. I know I’ve seen that one Patrick Star rendition of “Burn” a bit too much.
While AI on social media may be all fun and games, the uncertainties and possibilities about AI’s impact cannot be missed. For example, ChatGPT has become so popular among college campuses that educators are now working to incorporate the tool within their curriculums. This winter break, I plan to dedicate time applying to jobs and internships but in the era of AI, I can’t help but wonder how it’ll impact my job application process or future career.
If you’ve found yourself in the same boat as me, don’t worry. Her Campus sat down with a LinkedIn Career Expert and two Gen Z professionals using AI in their daily work life, and here’s what they have to say.
Use AI to your advantage.
There’s no denying that AI will have an impact on the workplace. While experts are still gauging AI’s capabilities, it’s also important to acknowledge how it’s already shaping certain industries. Just recently, the SAG-AFTRA strike reached its end with an approved deal but for nearly five months, the actors union and film industry students faced very real fears and conversations surrounding AI becoming a vital part of the industry, questioning the need for the faces behind Hollywood.
It’s undoubtedly a grey zone for many people and while it’s easy to focus on the intimidating aspects of AI in the workplace, there are some benefits. Pop culture can make AI feel like this big, bad dystopian thing that will overtake the human race one day — in her fictional podcast, Ad Lucem, Troian Bellisario discusses the dilemmas of AI that pose very real threats in the real world. But as LinkedIn spokesperson Andrew McCaskill tells Her Campus, “AI is still in its early days, and we’re all learning about its capabilities, but the key is to learn how to get AI to work for you.”
That’s what Gen Z professional, Oliver Pour, has learned to do. “Not many people are prone to the idea of using AI but it can be helpful and impactful for things like career searches or networking opportunities,” says Pour, a senior account executive at Luminece, Legal AI. Pour stresses the importance of not letting AI do the work or replace your skillset as a young professional, but not shying away from it because you’re intimidated either.
The only way to begin understanding the impact AI could have in the workplace is to begin using it now. Start small. Writing email drafts, figuring out schedules, or even jump starting the creative process with prompts are all ways that AI can work for you without taking over. Using AI to help you accomplish these tasks is one way to learn more about the technology and begin treating it as a resource.
Create a work-life balance with AI.
Oftentimes, Gen Z is unjustly branded as the “lazy generation.” However, that’s not the case at all. Rather, Gen Z is simply more vocal about what they want from the workplace and that’s a better work-life balance. McCaskill shares that in an August 2023 LinkedIn survey he conducted of over 29,000 global professionals, it appears that Gen Z plans on using AI to help make that balance possible.
In the LinkedIn survey, about 45% of global professionals believe AI will make their jobs easier and that AI will open up more free time. In doing so, AI can help professionals spend time learning new skills or focus more time on tasks they enjoy.
“Think of it like this: If AI can accomplish the more boring parts of your job, you have more time for the fun stuff and less mental energy spent on the mundane tasks,” says McCaskill.
In his job with Luminece, Pour uses AI for exactly that reason. Rather than spend a long time in front of a screen figuring out the right legal jargon to include in an email, Pour uses AI to synthesize his language to craft an email. It has proven to help him be as efficient as possible.
For Gen Zer Caitlyn Kumi, a social product marketing manager, AI has helped her manage her day-to-day task list. “When it was first introduced to us internally, I honestly didn’t really know what it was but I was eager to try it out,” says Kumi. “AI has helped me prep emails, analyze information, and has made me more efficient in my internal communications. Plus, if I need help learning a new skill, AI can help me enhance that process.”
Gen Z can get ahead of the curve.
AI can be a powerful tool to help you get to things faster and more effectively at work, but you’re in the driver’s seat. Taking the time to learn about the tool puts you ahead of the curve.
“I don’t believe anyone will lose their jobs to AI. However, if you don’t know how to use AI or any emerging technology, you may fall behind and it may make it harder to keep up with industry trends,” says Kumi.
An easy way to start is by looking to LinkedIn Learning for popular AI courses. McCaskill shares that until Dec. 15, courses like How to Research and Write using Generative AI and What is Generative AI are free for students to take advantage of.
Also, we’re not alone in this boat. Though AI seems to be developing at a fast pace, none of the changes will happen overnight. Using AI tools on LinkedIn can help you begin to learn how AI could be used in your industry. For example, the LinkedIn Skills Graph (built using AI) can help you understand how to enhance your profile to highlight your skills to potential employers and companies.
Hopefully, this gives you some peace of mind about AI and helps you become more comfortable with the technology. After all, there’s no better time to start learning than now.