AI changes the world in many ways. In the world of business, AI is transforming organizations by improving automation and accelerating the shift towards hybrid workplaces, where humans increasingly act as strategists and orchestrators, directing AI systems to complete tasks across multiple platforms (Thomas, 2025). At the same time, AI is beginning to disrupt the job market by pushing workers, typically early-career employees, to upskill to remain competitive.
As headlines spotlight AI-driven layoffs and hiring slowdowns, anxiety among young professionals continues to grow. But beneath the media narratives and public concern lies a deeper question: Is Gen Z truly facing an employment crisis or merely experiencing a period of
economic transition?
Productivity Paradox: How the Past Technological Shocks Have Influenced the Market?
Historically, technological innovation has always enormously boosted productivity, sometimes causing short-term unemployment. While the scale of disruption may seem huge, these effects are generally frictional and temporary. According to Goldman Sachs (2025), about
60% of current U.S. jobs didn’t exist in 1940, demonstrating that technological change has ultimately created more jobs than it eliminated.
Why? This phenomenon can be explained by the Productivity Paradox: higher productivity does not automatically reduce employment. For example, historical evidence from the 1970s to early 1990s shows that heavy IT investment initially yielded low productivity gains, but once effectively integrated, it eventually led to substantial improvements (Dreyfuss et al., 2019).
Therefore, even when technology initially disrupts work processes, its long-term effect often reshapes jobs rather than erasing them, creating new opportunities as old roles evolve or disappear.
So, Should Gen Z Actually Worry?
Looking at historical patterns from the paragraphs above, technological advancements have consistently created more jobs in the long run. Moreover, there is no evidence of a structural labor market crisis, suggesting that current AI adoption has not caused widespread job
displacement (Kinder, 2025). Hence, Gen Z, today’s young professionals, should not panic.
But what about tomorrow? How to start mapping the future? According to research from Goldman Sachs (2025), occupations at the highest risk of being displaced by AI in the coming years include:
- Computer programmers
- Accountants
- Auditors
- Legal and administrative assistants
- Customer service representatives
- Telemarketers
- Proofreaders
- Copy editors
- Credit analysts.
Those at the least risk of being displaced include:
- Air traffic controllers
- Chief executives
- Radiologists
- Pharmacists
- Residential advisors
- Photographers
- Members of the clergy.
Even though these predictions are not set in stone, they offer valuable insights into which jobs may be most affected by AI. The key takeaway for Gen Z is that instead of developing skills that compete with AI, they should focus on fostering skills that complement it, such as critical thinking, creativity, strategic decision-making, and complex human judgment.
Take Action to Thrive
AI is a transition, not a collapse. For young generations who navigate the evolving job market, the key to staying relevant is lifelong learning through upskilling, cultivating a growth mindset, and developing uniquely human capabilities. By doing so, Gen Z can not only survive but thrive in the AI-driven workplace.
Citations
Dreyfuss, E., Gadson, A., Riding, T., & Wang, A. (2019). Productivity Paradox: Background.
Stanford.edu. https://cs.stanford.edu/people/eroberts/cs201/projects/productivity-paradox/background.html
Goldman Sachs. (2025, August 13). How Will AI Affect the Global Workforce?
Goldmansachs.com. https://www.goldmansachs.com/insights/articles/how-will-ai-affect- the-global-workforce
Kinder, M. (2025, October). New data show no AI jobs apocalypse—for now. Brookings.
https://www.brookings.edu/articles/new-data-show-no-ai-jobs-apocalypse-for-now/
Thomas, M. (2025, January 28). The Future of Artificial Intelligence. Built In.
https://builtin.com/artificial-intelligence/artificial-intelligence-future
