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Artificial intelligence (AI) has been around for awhile, but in recent years its popularity has absolutely skyrocketed. Whether you’re chatting with a personalized bot on social media, listening to digitally curated playlists on Spotify, or even making a simple Google search, you’ve probably seen AI at work. And, it turns out, it has many professional uses, too. In fact, LinkedIn recently shared that AI literacy is the No. 1 fastest-growing skill in the U.S. for job seekers.
According to LinkedIn’s “Skills on the Rise” report from March 2025, AI has been rapidly transforming industries, which is why so many companies are looking for professionals who know how to utilize AI tools to improve their businesses. The report says that this is especially common for professionals in the technology, higher education, and IT services industries — but it can also be true across fields.
AI literacy being the fastest-growing skill among U.S. workers is especially noteworthy given that Gen Zers — many of whom are now entering the workforce for the first time — are among the most AI-literate generations. According to a Her Campus survey from March 2024, 97% of Gen Z participants said they’ve used AI before, and 77% said they use it on at least a monthly basis. Participants said they used AI for a variety of purposes, from academics to creativity, but it’s clear that using it for professional purposes is top of mind, too; 58% of respondents to the Her Campus survey said they believed AI will have a positive impact on their careers.
It’s true that AI has proved to be beneficial for some companies; for example, it can increase efficiency, reduce company costs, and provide predictive analytics that allow companies to forecast trends and make data-driven decisions. This shows why having AI literacy has been increasingly appealing to hiring managers — having the skills to maximize AI’s abilities is a desirable trait in a job candidate. However, there are also significant drawbacks to AI’s growing presence in the workforce.
Over 75% of Gen Z respondents to the Her Campus survey shared that they felt some fear about AI’s influence on the workforce. Goldman Sachs has predicted that AI will eventually replace 300 million jobs worldwide. That may sound extreme, but the World Economic Forum’s 2025 Future of Jobs report said that 41% of companies are planning workforce reductions as AI expands, so the fear surrounding AI’s influence appears warranted. It’s no secret that finding a job isn’t easy right now, and AI’s growing influence has the potential to impact job-seekers.
It’s hard to predict the exact long-term impact that AI will have on the global workforce, but it’s clear that if Gen Zers want to stand out as they enter the workforce, having experience with AI can be extremely useful.