{
  "id": 6359065,
  "title": "Gen Z doesn’t need more AI courses, it needs the skills AI can’t replicate",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/09/gen-z-doesnt-need-more-ai-courses-it-needs-the-skills-ai-cant",
  "topic": "ai",
  "section": "AI",
  "published": "2026-09-09T01:00:39.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "e27",
    "slug": "e27",
    "url": "https://e27.co/gen-z-doesnt-need-more-ai-courses-it-needs-the-skills-ai-cant-replicate-20260908/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In April 2026, the United States reported 83,387 job losses, with 26% of them citing artificial intelligence as the reason. A quieter story is shaping the careers of an entire generation, according to findings by Stanford economists Erik Brynjolfsson, Bharat Chandar, and Ruyu Chen. Employment among 22 to 25-year-olds in AI-exposed jobs has dropped 16 to 20% in software development, while older workers in the same roles remain largely unaffected. Universities and bootcamps have responded by adding more AI courses, leading to a 114% increase in bachelor's level AI programs in the US from 2024 to 2025. However, this reflex is producing graduates who are technically proficient in AI but lack the commercially valuable skills employers seek. A joint study by Amazon Web Services and Pearson revealed that employers are concerned with graduates' inability to make decisions, adapt to changing circumstances, and build trust with customers, rather than their technical AI skills. These \"soft skills\" are not currently part of the curriculum, which focuses on teaching tool literacy, making Gen Z ill-prepared for the AI economy. Universities need to shift their focus towards teaching students how to write clearly, interact with real customers, make decisions under incomplete information, and spot when AI outputs are technically correct but commercially incorrect.",
  "summary": "In April 2026, the United States announced 83,387 job cuts. 26 per cent of them named artificial intelligence as the reason, the second consecutive month that AI was the top cited cause. Behind those numbers is a quieter story that is going to shape an entire generation of careers. Stanford economists Erik Brynjolfsson, Bharat Chandar, […] The post Gen Z doesn’t need more AI courses, it needs the…",
  "key_points": [
    "16-20% drop in employment for 22-25-year-olds in AI-exposed jobs.",
    "Universities add 114% more AI programs, but graduates lack soft skills.",
    "Gen Z needs soft skills training, not just AI technical skills."
  ],
  "editors_take": "Universities' emphasis on AI courses is misguided, as employers seek graduates with soft skills like decision-making, adaptability, and customer trust-building that AI cannot replicate, which are currently lacking in the curriculum.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}