Young people entering today’s job market are expressing mounting concern about artificial intelligence’s growing influence on their career prospects, as major corporations announce widespread layoffs tied to AI implementation.
During a recent university commencement address, former Google CEO Eric Schmidt faced audible disapproval from graduating students at the University of Arizona when he described AI’s impact as something that would be “larger, faster, and more consequential” than previous technological shifts.
“It will touch every profession, every classroom, every hospital, every laboratory, every person, and every relationship you have,” Schmidt stated, as negative reactions echoed through the audience despite his attempts to address concerns about employment security and an uncertain economic landscape.
These workplace anxieties appear well-founded, as evidenced by Standard Chartered’s recent announcement that it plans to eliminate more than 7,000 positions while substituting “lower-value human capital” with artificial intelligence systems.
Several technology companies are also reducing their workforce while citing AI advancement as a factor. Meta, currently installing monitoring software on employee computers in the United States to develop its AI capabilities, intends to eliminate 10% of its global staff beginning this month.
Amazon.com has eliminated approximately 30,000 corporate positions in recent months as the company emphasizes AI integration and operational efficiency, while fintech company Block reduced nearly half its workforce in February.
The Iran war is also contributing to reduced hiring activity.
Schmidt recognized the younger generation’s concerns as “rational,” though like other corporate leaders, he characterized the transformation and upheaval brought by AI as an unavoidable development requiring widespread adaptation.
Research from Gallup released in April revealed that increasing numbers of Generation Z individuals – those born from 1997 to 2012 – reported feeling anxious or angry about artificial intelligence, while those expressing hope or excitement about the technology declined significantly from the previous year.
Nearly half of survey participants believed AI’s dangers outweigh its advantages, while only 15% viewed it as beneficial overall – a considerably more pessimistic outlook than twelve months earlier. Most acknowledged the importance of understanding AI but expressed concern that it impedes comprehensive learning and creative thinking.
“Negative emotions have intensified over the past year,” the research authors observed, noting that usage patterns were beginning to level off. “Young adults in the workforce are significantly more likely to view AI as a risk than a benefit.”
The study did indicate that favorable opinions of AI grew among heavier users while declining among those with limited exposure to the technology.
Schmidt’s cool reception followed other recent displays of student opposition to AI discussions. At the University of Central Florida on May 8, real estate executive Gloria Caulfield experienced similar heckling and disapproval during her graduation speech about artificial intelligence.
“The rise of artificial intelligence is the next industrial revolution,” she remarked as negative reactions erupted, visibly surprising her. “What happened? OK, I struck a chord… Only a few years ago AI was not a factor in our lives.”
The audience responded with enthusiastic applause to her acknowledgment of their concerns.
