These are the AI skills Gen Z should have

Melissa Puls, chief marketing officer and SVP of customer success and renewals at Ivanti, argues that Gen Z students should develop specific AI skills to thrive in the workforce. As a mother and hiring executive, she observes that current education systems often restrict AI use, which can deprive students of the struggle that builds real understanding and critical thinking.

The issue lies in framing AI as an all-or-nothing proposition, leading to unprepared students for future jobs. Puls emphasizes that candidates who can use AI effectively without letting it replace their thinking stand out in the hiring process. They can draft faster, research more efficiently, and spot data patterns manually. However, they also know when to rely solely on their own thought processes.

Puls warns that current education systems were designed around memorization rather than teaching students how to apply information. The workforce needs adaptable and collaborative individuals who can think originally and adapt to changing tools. She criticizes grading students on recalling information that any phone can provide in seconds, while penalizing them for using the same tools they'll need in their first jobs.

Puls urges educators not to wait to incorporate AI into education and points out that students who lack structured AI experience will be behind when starting their first job. She suggests a balanced approach, teaching students how to adopt AI tools without sacrificing critical thinking. Schools should move away from AI bans and focus on teaching AI fluency, including recognizing when AI generates incorrect information, when it helps, and when to rely on human judgment. These skills are essential for the jobs that exist today and will be crucial in the future.