It seems like AI is in just about everything that Gen Z touches lately. This is the first generation to grapple with a tool like AI while still in school, and while we’re quite tech-savvy, we’re still trying to decide how to adjust to its newest developments as we enter the workforce. As a young person, it seems like AI is everywhere you look, whether that’s finishing an assignment, submitting a job application, or just typing in a simple internet search. In the years that AI has become increasingly prevalent, Gen Z has been pretty split about the relationship they want to have with it. Do the benefits (such as boosted productivity and technological advancements) outweigh the potential risks (loss of creativity, environmental impacts)? But now, we’re being faced with a far more existential question to grapple with: Is AI developing too fast to control? And if so, what can be done about it?
It sounds like something out of a sci-fi movie, but on Sept. 8, Jacob Coxon, a former researcher at Anthropic and OpenAI, resigned from his position out of concern that the AI agents being developed are beyond human control. “The people building AI earnestly believe that it could kill us all by the end of the decade,” Coxon said in a post on X. Since then, Coxon’s opinions have been addressed by many others, with Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei agreeing that development can’t continue as it’s been and calling on the entire industry to slow development.Â
“Given the accelerating rate of AI capability development, it’s my worry that in 6-12 months such a swarm [of AI agents] could be capable of taking over the entire internet with a persistent botnet (potentially causing hundreds of billions of dollars in damage), and that the scale of damage would continue to increase from there if AI becomes more powerful without the necessary guardrails,” Amodei wrote in a blog post.Â
So, where does Gen Z stand among these new developments in the AI discourse? Below, Her Campus speaks with Gen Zers about how (or, in some cases, if) the news is impacting the way they see and use AI.Â
For Some, AI Is Out (At Least For Now)
The news about AI’s development going beyond what researchers can control has caused a lot of Gen Zers to put a hard stop to their AI usage. “My usage of AI has changed, as I now make an effort to avoid even small instances of AI assistance in my day-to-day work in research,” 22-year-old Sarah* tells Her Campus. Â
I already don’t use AI when I can avoid it, but this definitely makes me want to pull back even more.
Rachel*, recent graduate
“It’s really terrifying to see how even the people working on developing AI are scared of what it could become,” Rachel*, an FSU graduate, says. “It’s honestly unbelievable to me to see it developing out of control to the point that researchers think it could kill humans. I already don’t use AI when I can avoid it, but this definitely makes me want to pull back even more.”
The general sentiment among Gen Zers who feels this way is that don’t want contribute to the problem. “Normalizing a society that so regularly uses AI to take care of so many of the responsibilities associated with our jobs normalizes overworking ourselves to such an extent that is, quite literally, not humanly possible to maintain,” recent college grad Annie* says.
Others Are Still Betting On AI
Some Gen Zers aren’t changing their behavior at all — either because they don’t see their usage having an impact on AI’s risks, or they still have faith that AI researchers and companies will start to be more responsible now that the whistleblower has come forward. “AI has improved my life and made things easier,” says college student Jayden*. Another student, Cameron*, agrees: “My relationship hasn’t changed. I still use it a lot.”
Since I started using AI, it’s hard to break the habit. It’s become something I depend on to save time.
Riley*, college student
Another Gen Z student, Riley*, tells Her Campus that the whistleblower news hasn’t affected their AI usage, although they are concerned with AI’s impact on the environment — just not enough to alter their behavior. “Since I started using AI, it’s hard to break the habit,” Riley says. “It’s become something I depend on to save time.”Â
Those In The Middle Want To Continue Using AI, But Agree Things Need To Change
While not every Gen Zer wants to let go of AI completely in light of the recent news, many agree that there need to be more safety measures in place for development to move forward. “I feel that AI as a tool has the potential for lots of good, but also lots of bad,” Billie*, a Florida college student, says. “The idea of AI having such power with not enough restriction is a scary thought … I’m also concerned with how it is affecting our water. I still use AI, however, not too often. I would like to see more restrictions put in place.”
The idea of AI having such power with not enough restriction is a scary thought
Billie*, college student
Katie, a senior at FSU, says her AI usage was already pretty minimal — only using it for the occasional idea generation or when it’s unavoidable, like when searching something up online — but she’s willing to pull back even more. “If AI [continues to be] given the same barriers it has now, which are close to none, I will make moves to further remove myself from conscious use as well as subconscious use,” she says.
*Names have been changed.