The news is awash with stories about A.I., its growth, future and what it means to people and enterprises worldwide. According to some estimates, nearly 60 percent of news articles published are A.I.-generated, and it’s forecasted that within this year, nearly 97 million people will use A.I. at work. But being present for a revolution and being prepared for it are very different things. A recent Walton Family Foundation and Gallup study found alarming statistics about Gen Z in middle America and their preparedness for using A.I.. Why aren’t they prepared? How can they prepare for this massive shift in workforce production and tools?
Only 33 Percent of Gen Z Feel Prepared
According to the Walton Family Foundation and Gallup results, just one in three Gen Z adults in a heartland state feel somewhat prepared to use A.I. at work. At the same time, a mere 9 percent feel extremely prepared. That reality, paired with a McKinsey Global Institute study stating that by 2030, A.I. could significantly alter 60 percent of current jobs, and a coming calamity brewing in middle America. The same Gallup study reports Gen Z students are more prepared, with 40 percent saying they feel ready, but only 3 percent say they are “extremely prepared.” STEM students are more confident in their use of technology, at 61 percent, but their counterparts in healthcare (22 percent) and blue-collar or service roles (30 percent) are severely lagging. When even students are unprepared, it isn’t the student’s failure but the institution’s.
A.I. Use in Schools
Access to technology equals confidence with that technology. Students cannot be expected to be adept at using A.I. if they aren’t allowed to learn with it. Students allowed to use A.I. are 22 percent more likely to feel prepared than their peers at schools that ban or have no policy on A.I.. The numbers are worse outside of urban settings and affluent neighborhoods, where rural and lower-income students are least likely of all students to have a school that permits the use of artificial intelligence.
A.I. Permitted in the Workplace
As with school, so with the workplace. Nearly 60 percent of Gen Z workers at jobs that allow them to use A.I. feel prepared for the future. Compare that to the 26 percent at companies with no clear policy on A.I. in 2025. No clear policy on A.I. in 2025 is unacceptable and negligent to your company, your clients and your employees.
Preparing the Next Generation for the A.I. Revolution
On April 23rd, the White House posted an executive action, Advancing Artificial Intelligence Education for American Youth. This action developed a task force with the express direction to “establish public-private partnerships with leading A.I. industry organizations, academic institutions, nonprofit entities, and other organizations with expertise in A.I. and computer science education to develop online resources collaboratively focused on teaching K-12 students foundational A.I. literacy and critical thinking skills.”
This is a promising first step and commitment to students still in K-12, but we must not lose sight of those in colleges across America. Approximately 44 percent of institutions have developed classes to teach A.I. to students, and 20 percent have majors or minors. However, this must get to 100 percent for the next generation to be truly prepared for the world they are entering. On the other hand, businesses have a duty to their employees and stakeholders to embrace A.I. as much as possible. Nearly 80 percent of companies deploy A.I. in at least one aspect of their operations, which has been steadily increasing. Any business using A.I. or planning to use it needs to invest not only in the tech but also in upskilling its current workforce. The future of any company rests largely on the abilities of its workforce to perform complex tasks that drive the business. Those employees new to the workforce and soon to come must be prepared for the rise of A.I., or the company itself will suffer the consequences. America is on a solid path now, but we must accelerate and not deviate, or our global competition will overtake us in the coming decade.
