Nonprofit Launches AI Tools to Aid Gen Z in Job Market

A nonprofit organization called the New Work Foundation has launched AI-enabled tools to assist Generation Z in preparing for an AI-dominated workforce. The foundation's consumer-facing brand, Dear CC, focuses on training young people for future jobs.

The initiative stems from observations of AI's rapid advancement and its impact on employment opportunities. Clara Shih, a former AI executive at Meta and Salesforce who now serves as an adviser at Meta, founded the organization. She stated that she realized providing AI tools was essential to help people keep pace with AI's development, as traditional methods are insufficient.

Shih's perspective is based on her 20 years of experience in AI and a key observation last fall when Meta's AI agents performed tasks comparably to top employees.

The foundation introduced tools such as Field Report, which provides insights into career paths, including job openings, competition levels, and AI automation risks. For example, in the legal field, it reports 31,500 open roles in the United States with low competition but high AI automation risk.

Another tool, JobClaw, helps users find roles based on a five-question intake form about their strengths and interests, without requiring a résumé. Shih emphasized that learning to use AI agents is crucial for finding and retaining jobs. A survey from AI platform Writer indicated that employees using AI daily are more likely to receive promotions or raises than those who do not.

Additionally, a ZipRecruiter report noted that many Gen Z individuals are considering alternatives like entrepreneurship, gig work, and trade school due to AI threats and fewer entry-level openings.

leaders have varying views on AI's role in the labor market. Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei stated that AI could disrupt half of the white-collar workforce. In contrast, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang suggested AI would work alongside humans and potentially enable more hiring.

A Gallup poll reported that Gen Z's sentiment toward AI has become more negative compared to a year ago. Shih noted that those with moral objections to AI are important for guiding its ethical development. The foundation's efforts aim to encourage adoption despite these concerns, as AI continues to evolve rapidly.