Meeting this complicated moment requires a robust change management strategy on the part of employers, says Jayney Howson, senior vice president of global learning and development at ServiceNow. “Businesses should help people see AI as a tool that makes them better, not a threat to their existence. We need to teach the character skill of proactive, growth-driven learning,” she says.

Howson says that the biggest pitfall for organizations trying to attract Gen Z talent is “treating AI as cost-cutting rather than human empowerment.” In a world where organizations are perpetually low on talent and AI could potentially threaten economic equality, she says businesses should build an AI strategy that emphasizes creativity, empathy, and character.

To that end, Howson recommends employers create “learning playgrounds” that encourage people to approach work with curiosity rather than obligation.

On the other side of the coin, she recommends that Gen Z students and workers embrace human skills such as empathy, resilience, curiosity, and ethics. “These skills make you irreplaceable and help you develop the growth mindset needed to work alongside intelligent technology.”

Educators are working diligently to impart these skills to their students. Lisa, a Gen Zer who teaches college courses, says she uses ChatGPT to demonstrate skills such as critical thinking. Instead of banning the tool in her classroom, or turning a blind eye when students use it, she guides them through appropriate and inappropriate uses.

“ChatGPT is a yes-man. But ChatGPT knows it’s a yes-man. I’ve asked it, and it knows this!” says Lisa. “What’s important is that we know it too. Like any tool, what you get from it depends on how you use it.”