AI Influences Teens’ Career

As high school students start thinking about life after graduation, AI is also influencing how they think about their future college and career plans.

Has your view or your plans about what to study in college or what job to choose changed because of AI?

Karissa Tang

Karissa has been studying how AI is affecting teenage jobs.

"I know many of my classmates are going to choose healthcare, because they feel like it is more AI-proof (unable to be replaced easily by AI).

"And I know a few of my college advisers said that over the past two years, AI use has almost doubled, but the number of students choosing computer science as their major(专业课) has dropped by 34%.

"What I've found is that in the top 10 teenage jobs, AI will replace 27% of them, which is more than 700,000 jobs by 2030. These jobs include being a cashier, a fast-food worker, and a cook. So we already see AI replacing these roles," she says.

Lincoln Vonk

Lincoln is already using AI as a tool to support his work and prepare for his future.

"I know that I go into politics. I must know how to use AI to make my work faster and more efficient. If you want to be competitive in a field, you have to be on top of AI.

"I would personally tell my peers(同龄人): try to include AI in what you love. So for me it's politics, but for someone who is going into a different major, such as art, computer science, or engineering, learning how AI works in your field is a smart move," he says.

Savilla Ruby

Savilla wants to work in dance and theatre.

She says, "I think it's a very slippery slope from using it as a tool to help us to letting it do things for us. And I just think nothing good can come of that. I think if we let it do things for us, it's not only killing our creativity, but also our critical thinking skills. And I think that can be so dangerous."

Three teens. Three views. But one thing does seem clear. AI is already shaping the path forward for this next generation of workers.