Ai and job displacement: A call for immediate action
Credit: Allison Shelley for American Education
It’s no longer a future problem; America’s school-to-work pipeline is broken now.
According to the Broken Marketplace Study, a sweeping national report from the Schultz Family Foundation and HarrisX, nearly half of Gen Zers say they feel unprepared for the jobs of the future. Employers agree, with 44% saying today’s young people aren’t ready for the workforce. Meanwhile, over half of the 30 million 18- to 24-year-olds in the U.S. are unemployed, underemployed, or stuck in roles below their skill level, according to the Burning Glass Institute.
What this all equates to is a “broken marketplace” that is “stalling the futures of tens of millions of young Americans.” If we’re already seeing this in the data now, less than three years after the release of ChatGPT, what awaits this year’s class of college graduates in the spring? And the graduating class after that?
This came into view in my recent conversation with a senior leader of one of the world’s largest banks. It’s his job to make enterprise decisions on AI and tech strategy, innovation and partnerships for the company. Which, I came to understand, means it’s his job to be in front of all the emerging tech trends, try new products, and select which ones to scale across the firm. He previewed ChatGPT months before it was released to the public, and his first calls were to his nieces and nephews — telling them to build a career in the trades.
He was immediately worried about their future in the workforce. The intervening months have only accelerated his worry, and, true to his reputation as a trendspotter, new research (such as the Broken Marketplace Study) is validating his early concerns. While he’s built his career on being right, I’m sure this time he wishes he was wrong.
For years, I believed the saying, “AI won’t take your job, but someone using AI will.” It’s now clear that’s not fully true. AI is replacing jobs. And it’s accelerating. We can’t stop this shift, but we can build systems that help the next generation rise with it. To do this, we must act boldly, and we must act now:
- To local leaders: According to the Broken Marketplace Study, “We don’t know exactly what the jobs of the future will be, but we do know the right scale for figuring them out. Regional marketplaces are where innovation, apprenticeship, startup activity, and workforce development can meet in real time. Think of them as live laboratories for the future economy — with real outcomes for real people. Regional hubs can combine startup accelerators, advanced manufacturing and apprenticeship networks to train and absorb talent at the speed of innovation.”
- To public-private partnership leaders: Last year, Nvidia partnered with California Gov. Gavin Newsom and the community colleges to launch a new education-based initiative, and just last month, the governor announced a partnership between the state and four of the largest tech companies in the generative AI sector. While a laudable start, we need these efforts to spread across all of public education.
- To AI companies: Supporting upskilling tools isn’t enough. It’s time to invest billions into training teachers, equipping students and building equity-driven AI career advisers who offer personalized education and workforce guidance. These efforts are already taking place at the big AI companies, but I’m not seeing the kind of investment or coalition-building that will move the needle at scale. It’s not just the right thing to do; it’s a strategy with a real return on investment.
- To young people: You’re not imagining it; it’s harder than it should be. But there are things you can do now:
- Prioritize real-world experiences. Seek internships, gig work, apprenticeships or volunteering to gain practical skills. Find out about your unique skills, interests and values.
- Ask for help: Find trusted mentors, navigators or support systems to co-create a road map. Don’t go it alone.
- Care for your mental health: Recognize that mental wellness is foundational to career success. Seek resources early.
- Push for transparency: Request feedback from employers, and challenge unclear hiring requirements.
- Research emerging job paths: The iPhone gave way to millions of new jobs in app development, UX design and the gig economy. AI will create brand-new job categories. Always stay on top of what’s coming. To start, here are 22 jobs the New York Times thinks will be created by AI.
On the downside, solving this won’t be as simple as directing the next generation to pursue a career path in the trades. On the upside, with history as a guide, we know we can adapt to major technological advancements as we did during the industrial and internet ages. But the difference with AI is how rapid the pace of development is, and this is why our immense attention and immediate action are required. We can do hard things, but none of us can wait a second longer to get moving.
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Andrew Simmerman is a government affairs professional with a background in public education, advocacy and strategic policy engagement. He’s currently focused on the intersection of AI, K-12 education and regulation — tracking how emerging technologies shape public policy, workforce development and society.
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