Gen Z’s AI conundrum
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[SINGAPORE] Brentha Shini, 25, a graduate from Nanyang Technological University, recounts tiptoeing around anything related to artificial intelligence (AI) back in university. “I recall even Grammarly was somewhat frowned upon, so I tried to avoid using it most of the time,” she says.
Fast forward to today, in her first full-time role, she was surprised when her colleagues encouraged her to use generative AI tools to streamline her work.
But Brentha’s experience is not an anomaly. This is the disorientating contradiction that many Gen Zs face today: the very tools they were told to avoid in school are now encouraged – if not expected – in the workplace.
In fact, while 42 per cent of Gen Zs think teachers would discourage them from using Gen AI, only 15 per cent feel their employers would frown upon this, a report by EY showed.
This disconnect adds another hurdle to Gen Zs’ transition to the workplace, leaving some feeling unprepared for the working world where AI literacy is often assumed.
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Since ChatGPT’s launch in 2022, the adoption of Gen AI across industries has soared and become mainstream. According to studies by Boston Consulting Group, over 75 per cent of managers and leaders use Gen AI, while more than half of frontline employees rely on it at work.
Despite this, it seems like educational institutions – charged with preparing students for the workforce – have mostly taken a cautious or defensive stance towards the adoption of Gen AI.
Many universities have responded to Gen AI’s rise with punitive measures. Recently, we saw academic penalties handed to students over submissions that were flagged for Gen AI usage.
While this case highlights issues with the technology itself, students also took to the internet to voice concerns over a lack of proper frameworks and AI literacy education in universities.
However, the reality is that Gen AI has become so entrenched in our lives, it is nearly impossible to prevent students from using it completely.
In Singapore, 86 per cent of students and 67 per cent of employees use Gen AI, research by Deloitte showed. The number of daily Gen AI users in Singapore is expected to more than triple in the next five years, the report stated.
If Gen AI is already so embedded in our lives, it’s worth questioning the effectiveness of zero-AI policies in education, especially when students are expected to master these tools upon graduation.
On a more positive note, schools have begun to welcome the responsible use of AI and have gradually increased efforts to integrate AI tools within educational institutions.
😟 Guilt
When I first began experimenting with Gen AI, I could not shake the uneasy feeling that I was cutting corners.
Speaking to several young professionals, I found this to be a shared experience. Many Gen Zs wrestle with an internalised stigma, knowing that utilising Gen AI would enhance productivity, yet they can’t get over the feeling of guilt when they use it.
Samantha Ling, 25, a communications executive, shared that the guilt still persists even though Gen AI is supported in her workplace. “It makes me feel as though I am not creative enough to be able to think of these ideas myself,” she says.
Several peers echoed similar reservations, one shared that although Copilot Pro is provided at work, hesitation in using it still remains. Another said she steers clear of Gen AI as she fears her reputation at work may be compromised.
Much of this wariness, I reckon, stems from years of being cautioned against Gen AI in school. In a way, it feels like we are waiting for a penalty that may or may never come.
🏫 AI literacy
When Gen AI – on the surface, at least – appears to be able to replicate what young professionals can do, it is understandable for them to question their own “value” early in their careers, Rena Oh, a volunteer career adviser at Workforce Singapore says.
Concerns over AI replacing entry-level roles have also risen – and it is a valid fear.
Some say they feel pressured to outperform Gen AI tools even when they have already secured full-time positions. “In the early stages of my career, it was easy to fall into a trap of feeling Gen AI is better than me,” Loy Sheng, 26, a software engineer, told thrive.
He said this insecurity arose from solely relying on Gen AI to get the job done, until he began challenging himself to think more critically about its output – an increasingly vital skill in today’s AI-driven workplace.
The gap in AI literacy education may be closing, with efforts by the Ministry of Education – such as the EdTech Masterplan 2030 – that aims to improve students’ digital literacy and promote productive uses of Gen AI.
For Gen Zs already in the workplace, we can still bridge the gap and achieve AI literacy on our own. Personally, here are some ways I try to cultivate critical thinking when using Gen AI:
- Ask for questions, not answers: Instead of generating full responses, ask Gen AI to come up with questions that challenge your views on the topic you are working on
- Request multiple alternatives: Use Gen AI to generate multiple phrasing options or perspectives on a prompt or query, then allow yourself to compare and independently piece together the points
- Question everything: Make a conscious effort to identify the gaps in what has been generated, and check for potential biases
- Don’t outsource judgment: You are the decision-maker – not Gen AI. Use it to inform your decisions, but don’t follow it blindly
TL;DR
- Gen Zs are penalised for using Gen AI in school, yet they are encouraged to use it in the workplace
- The disconnect in acceptance of Gen AI usage in school has caused Gen Zs some cognitive dissonance when transitioning to work
- Some still carry over a sense of guilt even in environments where AI usage is welcomed
- The need for AI literacy education persists
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