Gen Z vs. AI: The Battle for the Future of Work

By Dr. Michael Omoruyi, iNewsAfrica Op-Ed Contributor

A Generation on the Edge of Transformation

Every generation faces a defining test. For Baby Boomers, it was the industrial boom. For Millennials, it was the digital revolution. For Generation Z, the battle is unmistakably against — and alongside — Artificial Intelligence (AI).

Born into a world of smartphones, social media, and algorithms, Gen Z is the first cohort of “AI natives.” They instinctively navigate technology, but they are also the first to confront an unsettling paradox: the very tools that empower them are dismantling the traditional pathways to opportunity.

The Bottom Rung Is Breaking

For decades, entry-level jobs provided the springboard into stable careers. But AI is now eroding that foundation. Automated systems screen résumés, AI chatbots replace junior customer service reps, and generative AI platforms perform tasks once reserved for interns, analysts, or junior developers.

Recent studies confirm what young job seekers already feel: entry-level hiring in tech and other AI-exposed fields has plummeted by more than half since the pandemic. The “first rung” of the career ladder is cracking, leaving millions of ambitious Gen Z graduates staring at a climb with no foothold.

This is not just an economic issue—it’s a societal one. When a generation cannot access meaningful work, frustration festers, inequality widens, and social unrest follows.

From Career Ladders to Career Lily Pads

Yet, Generation Z is nothing if not adaptable. Many are refusing the rigid career ladders of old, opting instead for what I call “career lily pads.” They leap across industries, embrace side hustles, blend creativity with tech, and redefine success on their own terms.

Instead of waiting for corporations to open doors, they are building their own. TikTok creators become marketing consultants. Coders freelance globally through platforms powered by AI. Young Africans, in particular, are using digital tools to leapfrog barriers, proving that resilience is woven into their DNA.

Where Humans Still Matter

AI excels at speed, repetition, and prediction. But it cannot replicate human empathy, ethics, or imagination. The future of Gen Z lies in cultivating the distinctly human skills that machines cannot mimic.

• Creativity and storytelling to give meaning to data.

• Collaboration and empathy to lead diverse teams.

• Ethical judgment to ensure AI serves humanity rather than enslaves it.

These soft yet powerful skills will separate those who thrive in the AI economy from those who are replaced by it.

An African Lens on the AI Shift

For Africa, the Gen Z–AI story carries unique urgency. Our continent is the youngest in the world, with over 60% of the population under 25. If AI eliminates entry-level jobs without creating alternatives, we risk fueling unemployment, migration crises, and instability.

But if Africa invests in AI literacy, digital skills, and entrepreneurial ecosystems, Gen Z Africans can turn the tide. They can build platforms, shape narratives, and lead innovations that not only serve local communities but influence the global economy.

This is our chance to ensure Africa is not merely a consumer of AI, but a co-author of its future.

The Way Forward

The task before us is clear:

Governments must invest in AI education and digital infrastructure.

Businesses must design ethical AI strategies that preserve pathways for human growth.

Gen Z must embrace lifelong learning, blending technical fluency with human-centered leadership.

The future of work is not AI versus Gen Z. It is AI with Gen Z—if we choose wisely.

Final Word

History will not remember this generation for the jobs they lost but for the opportunities they created. Gen Z stands at the intersection of disruption and destiny. With courage, creativity, and the right policies, they can ensure that AI is not a thief of dreams but a partner in building a more just and prosperous world.

And Africa, with its youthful pulse and untapped potential, can lead that transformation.

🔖 Dr. Michael Omoruyi is a technologist, author of From Grit to Grace: A Memoir of Roots, Resilience, and Reinvention, and founder of iNewsAfrica. He writes on technology, culture, and Africa’s place in the global digital future.