09-10-2026IMPACT COUNCIL

These are the AI skills Gen Z should have

As an executive and parent, I look for the same thing in the upcoming generation.

[Photo: Getty Images]

The Fast Company Impact Council is an invitation-only membership community of top leaders and experts who pay dues for access to peer learning, thought leadership, and more.

I wear two hats that give me a specific view on AI in education. As a mother, I care deeply about how my children are being prepared for the future. As a marketing executive whose role includes hiring entry-level employees, I care about whether the latest generation is ready for the workforce.

What I’m seeing in schools right now gives me pause. I’m a positive person, but I think it’s important to have this conversation.

The default approach to AI in most classrooms is restriction. Limit it. Ban it from assignments. Treat it like a cheat code that undermines learning.

I understand the logic. Original thought matters. Critical thinking matters. If students outsource their homework to an LLM, they miss out on the struggle (and I mean struggle in a good way) that builds real understanding and critical thinking.

The problem is that some are teaching students that AI is an all-or-nothing proposition. Either you’re cheating with it or you’re avoiding it entirely. That framing will leave them unprepared for future jobs, especially as AI continues seeing broad........

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