Traditionally, young people have been one of the groups that has had the most problems accessing the labor market. A situation that, due to artificial intelligence, could worsen in the future. But it is not a distant and uncertain future, but practically now. At least, that’s what AI expert Bill McDermott argues, who has painted a complicated scenario for Generation Z.
His prediction is not very optimistic: The expert thinks that one in three young members of generation Z will be unemployed. A much higher percentage than exists now, and which will be a direct consequence of the technological boom. Of automation, rather. But why precisely the young people? And what is even more important, will there be a solution for this?
AI against generation Z
This is not the first time that generation Z and artificial intelligence have crossed paths. Numerous studies have talked about the impact that chatbots have or can have on young people, in some cases even affecting their own mental health. It was also said at the time that many kids used AI, yes, but they also feared that it would harm their future.
Well, according to Bill McDermott, CEO of ServiceNow and expert in everything that has to do with artificial intelligence, they were not wrong. In recent statements, The specialist has pointed out AI as the main culprit of immediate youth unemployment. He thinks that it is something that, furthermore, will soon prove itself.
«I think it’s very natural to worry about employment,» McDermott says. «I think young people coming out of college today are facing a 9% unemployment rate, but it could easily reach mid-30% in the next two years.» A problem that other businessmen have already reported, and that does not seem to fit with the cheerful vision of people like Sam Altman or Bill Gates.
“Much of the work will be done by artificial intelligence agents, so it will be a challenge for young people to distinguish themselves in the world of work,” said the CEO of ServiceNow. Curiously, he doesn’t see it as something negative. In fact, his company has reached an agreement with OpenAI (the creators of ChatGPT) to carry out a «strategic collaboration».
Artificial intelligence and mass unemployment
Regardless of what Bill McDermott thinks or does not think about the layoffs caused by artificial intelligence, the truth is that it is not necessary to be Nostradamus to suspect that it will be more difficult to find a job every day. More than anything because the technology companies themselves, giants like Google, Amazon or Microsoft, have already carried out massive layoffs.
Will this just be a “tweak” until AI automation takes hold? Will this technology create new jobs even if it destroys others? The truth is that today it is impossible to know. However, concern is growing every day that one way or another, the AI revolution will end up affecting millions of workers. Of all kinds.