You have seen it all: climate change, cost of living and now AI taking over your art and homework. So how do you really feel about it? And will this cost your future?
Teenagers today have grown up with technology their whole lives, whether that be from their phones, tablets and computer screens. As you scroll on TikTok or complete your assignments, it’s most likely that you’re already using AI in your day-to-day. However, will embracing this technology hurt your future or help you?
Teens already embracing AI
The truth is, many teens love and use AI. A study from Yugo, which surveyed over 7,200 students across nine countries (including Australia), found that we use AI as our personal study buddy.
Teens are excited about this new technology and the opportunities it creates. A study from the Universities Admissions Centre (UAC) that surveyed over 18,000 Year 12 students found that students have a more positive view of AI compared to last year:
- 32% of students feel optimistic about AI in 2025, which is a slight increase from 29% in 2024
- 49% are in the neutral camp, still figuring out how they feel about this emerging technology.
Kip, 18, a student who took the UAC survey, says, “AI is cool. People are scared for no reason. It’s the same fear as 100 years ago with the Industrial Revolution. Life moves on.”
Will AI steal my job?
While many teens love AI, your still concerned about it, especially for your future jobs. Two in three students (67%) think that AI will lead to fewer jobs, making this the biggest perceived risk for the future professional job market.
And they have a right to be concerned. As we can see, AI has already disrupted how university grads get hired for entry-level work. Many entry-level jobs that are typically monotonous, such as customer service, administrative work or low-level tech jobs, are being taken over by AI machines.
It’s happening in the US as more big tech giants announce layoffs. Amazon has warned that it may lay off its workers, as AI is replacing them.
An article from the New York Times spotlights US students who have voiced their views around AI:
“As artificial intelligence grows, it will become capable of performing jobs normally operated by people, such as taking orders. The kiosk has been growing significantly over the past years, and many workers for companies such as McDonald’s have been replaced by the alternative of the kiosk. This is alarming because if AI can take over industries such as fast food, it can take over jobs from any of us.” says Peter, Hilton Head Prep.
Gear up for an AI future
In a world that’s becoming more dependent on artificial intelligence and tech, it’s now all about “human skills”, what humans can do that AI cannot.
The skills that AI can’t do yet:
- Communication and interpersonal skills: At the moment, AI can’t work in a team effectively, resolve conflicts or encourage collaboration among others.
- Emotional intelligence: Understanding and managing emotions requires nuance and is crucial for building lasting relationships, which AI cannot replicate.
- Innovation: AI gets its ideas from existing data and algorithms, which means it can’t think outside the box. So any new ideas that don’t exist will need to come from humans.
- Ethics: Making moral judgments requires a deep understanding of society and its people, as well as the impact and consequences of the choices we make. When making AI we need to find a way that doesn’t disadvantage certain groups in our society and consider the lasting negative impacts.
As teens, you’re already embracing AI. The next step is to create a future where AI is helping you, and others around you.
