Opinion | Artificial intelligence, Trump and the Future: 13 Gen Z-ers Discuss

Armaan, 23, Massachusetts, Asian, Republican, looking for work

Hesitant.

Anaka, 23, Pennsylvania, Black, independent, program coordinator

Disappointed.

Evan, 23, New York, Latino, Republican, administrative assistant

Honestly, I was going to say the same: Disappointed.

Emily, 20, New Jersey, white, independent, student, fitness instructor

Yeah, disappointed, not hopeful.

Bayleigh, 24, Texas, white, Democrat, nurse

Nervous.

Alaura, 23, Tennessee, white, independent, mental health care

Interested.

Daniel, 26, Georgia, white, independent, landscaper

Fearful and uncertain.

Molly, 21, Illinois, white, Democrat, looking for work

Sad.

Jonnie, 27, Missouri, Latino, Democrat, looking for work

Nervous.

Darrion, 26, Indiana, Black, Republican, automotive engineer

Optimistic.

Conner, 23, Florida, white, Republican, master’s student, server

I’m going to say “optimistic” as well.

Heather, 23, Oregon, white, Democrat, assistant

Worried.

Jeff, 25, Utah, white, Republican, cybersecurity analyst

Cautiously optimistic.

Darrion, 26, Indiana, Black, Republican, automotive engineer

I feel the economy, inflation, prices are going to get a little rough before they get rosy. But in the long run, it’s going to get better under the new president and all that, I think I have faith in him to do well.

Jeff, 25, Utah, white, Republican, cybersecurity analyst

There’s always going to be issues, regardless of who’s running the country, but I feel like the leaders of our country all have the same interests at heart, which is to improve the country, even though the way they’re going to go about doing that is different.

Alaura, 23, Tennessee, white, independent, mental health care

I’m just interested in how it’s all going to play out, whether it’s tariffs or cutting funding for various government agencies.

Molly, 21, Illinois, white, Democrat, looking for work

I think I knew the outcome of the election wouldn’t be what I wanted. And it wasn’t. And going into this administration, I had an idea of what things would look like. You can have those expectations, but living through it — waking up to the news every day of this next thing that’s happening, this next structure that’s being threatened or challenged, this next thing that’s being stripped away from us — it just gives me an overwhelming feeling of sadness and genuine despair.

Emily, 20, New Jersey, white, independent, student, fitness instructor

Just disappointed, I think, in the economy and the way things are going and the way things cost so much. It just makes me feel like I’ll never be able to afford a house or get out on my own.

Heather, 23, Oregon, white, Democrat, assistant

I agree with Emily. As someone who lives at home with her parents, it’s hard to think about some of the good things nationally just because I can’t afford to live on my own. I just get worried about things that I probably won’t be able to do until I’m a certain age or things like that, where you’re young and you want to experience things, but it’s hard when things cost so much.

Bayleigh, 24, Texas, white, Democrat, nurse

It’ll be the end of Trump’s administration, but I think the instability will remain consistent through the next four years.

Evan, 23, New York, Latino, Republican, administrative assistant

I would just hope they’ll learn from their past mistakes. After four years, if you don’t get better or something, then what are you doing? So I would just hope. But from real life experience, knowing someone with immigration problems, I worry things will get worse because there’s no real structure to help people that have been here for years, that helped grow the economy, have been working and contributing and whatnot. People who shop at Walmart, who drive the cabs. They’re helping the economy. The ones trafficking people, those kinds of people, they should go. So I would just hope that the leaders’ habits would change. But sometimes they can just be the same.

Jonnie, 27, Missouri, Latino, Democrat, looking for work

I just think this administration will stabilize. I think it’s scaring a lot of people. Maybe I’m just being hopeful, too. But I think inflation will probably be better by then. I can’t imagine this direction forever. I think things will just stabilize.

Jonnie, 27, Missouri, Latino, Democrat, looking for work

I gave him a C. Nothing horrible has happened, really. I guess that makes it OK. But at the same time, tariffs and stuff — I don’t like that.

Evan, 23, New York, Latino, Republican, administrative assistant

I gave him a B. I like how he’s trying to basically put certain countries on blast, or he’s giving them a stern warning about the products they’re sending us and their prices. He’s very smart in that regard of making sure that low-income consumers can buy products at a good rate. And I would say on immigration and whatnot, I think he’s doing pretty good. But then again, he’s even deporting people by accident and sending them to the crazy jail and across the world and whatnot, and they actually didn’t do anything. So I would say he cares about deporting immigrants, the ones that are doing bad, but then at the same time, he’s not knowing how to distinguish which ones are bad.

Evan, 23, New York, Latino, Republican, administrative assistant

I like how stern he is, how focused he is on at least trying to get something done. But I mean, I feel as though Trump actually cares about creating change. Pep in his step, at least. Biden was, like, a Sleepy Joe.

Darrion, 26, Indiana, Black, Republican, automotive engineer

I gave him a C. I think it’s a little bit positive and negative. I’m positive in the sense that I like the way he’s portraying the image of America on an international scale, like the trade wars, tariffs and all that. And negatively because of his impact in cryptocurrency and the stock market. He created the $Trump coin, and since then, the crypto market has not really been the same. There’s been a lot of uncertainty, like bearishness and all that. So that’s negative.

Daniel, 26, Georgia, white, independent, landscaper

I think it sucks. I think it’s the worst it’s ever been. It feels like there are thousands of people applying for a single job. I just feel like ever since Covid, things have been shifted and changed for the worse in the work force.

Jeff, 25, Utah, white, Republican, cybersecurity analyst

I just graduated about a month ago with a degree in information security, which I think is very highly technical. There are definitely jobs out there. The problem isn’t the market; it’s hiring managers and companies saying, “We don’t necessarily care about your degree. We want you to have four to five years of experience for an entry-level role.” The companies are just holding unrealistic standards for what entry level is.

Jeff, 25, Utah, white, Republican, cybersecurity analyst

It should build off of the degree that you get in college or — not everyone goes to college — the certifications you get in trade school, for example. It should include mentorship from senior employees and have tasks that introduce you to what more advanced things are going to be like. And they should be able to train and build you up on the job.

Heather, 23, Oregon, white, Democrat, assistant

I have a job, and I think it always feels different when you don’t have one and are looking for one. But I’ve heard similar things to Jeff. It’s like the entry-level positions are wanting people with all this experience, where it’s not possible. I would say it’s not too good right now.

Conner, 23, Florida, white, Republican, master’s student, server

I’m looking at my finances, and I’m hoping that it’s going in a better direction.

Jonnie, 27, Missouri, Latino, Democrat, looking for work

I guess my personal life is going pretty well. Less well is I have no idea how I’m going to survive without my parents’ help or what I’m going to really do in the future.

Anaka, 23, Pennsylvania, Black, independent, program coordinator

I graduated last December, and I got my first real job paying me more than minimum wage. So you guys hang in there, for sure.

Armaan, 23, Massachusetts, Asian, Republican, looking for work

I do think the job market’s not in the best place right now. My friends and I just graduated over the summer, and we’re all looking for jobs. There are very few of us who have managed to even get to an interview position. I know people who are applying to upwards of, like, 80 and 100 jobs a day, because they assume it’s just volume that you have to go to eventually land that job.

Bayleigh, 24, Texas, white, Democrat, nurse

I landed my first real job, too. That’s helped me get over what was a big slump in my life. I felt really upset about myself. I was like, “I just got a degree. I’m smart. I know what I’m doing.” And nobody’s hiring, and nursing is a pretty big field. But it’s worked out now.

Jonnie, 27, Missouri, Latino, Democrat, looking for work

I guess I thought maybe I’d be a little farther ahead, like maybe have a house or something, which now is so unrealistic.

Conner, 23, Florida, white, Republican, master’s student, server

I thought that postgrad, at least with my bachelor’s, that I would be moved out, living on my own. And now it just doesn’t make any sense. But it’s just not realistic. It would be unwise to move out.

Evan, 23, New York, Latino, Republican, administrative assistant

I’ve always been optimistic and practical about life. About five years ago, they gave away those stimulus checks. Everybody around me spent theirs, but I saved mine. I’m very grateful to have freedom every day to just work, to live. I’m perfectly fine. I’m just going to continue to have good structure in my life.

Bayleigh, 24, Texas, white, Democrat, nurse

I thought I would be a lot more independent from my parents. But I still feel pretty reliant on them.

Heather, 23, Oregon, white, Democrat, assistant

I’m 23. I think that’s a little old to be living with my parents. But I got my degree and am working on that job right now. I’d like to find a single job, just one, that can hopefully pay my bills — rather than working two, like I am now — and make me live on my own.

Armaan, 23, Massachusetts, Asian, Republican, looking for work

In 20 years, 30 years, I’d like to have a business that’s just paying the bills and an offshoot of that business or another business that essentially is what grants me financial freedom to just enjoy my life and maybe even help other people along the way.

Daniel, 26, Georgia, white, independent, landscaper

I’d like to be completely financially stable, have a house, have kids, be able to support them all through college.

Jeff, 25, Utah, white, Republican, cybersecurity analyst

Along with affording my own home, I hope I’ll be able to have a higher-level management position. And I hope by that point, I’ll be able to just live a good life with family and some golden retrievers as well. That’s the dream.

Jonnie, 27, Missouri, Latino, Democrat, looking for work

I definitely think, yeah, very successful, married, kids, nice house, I hope all of that.

Molly, 21, Illinois, white, Democrat, looking for work

I just want to be healthy, have food in the pantry, a roof over my head — and an in-unit washer and dryer would be my dream, honestly — but financially independent.

Jeff, 25, Utah, white, Republican, cybersecurity analyst

One thing that I’ve tried to get away from is never putting my success or my failures in the hands of other people. I just want to put my faith in myself rather than in people who make policy decisions in Washington. And I want to be in complete control.

Heather, 23, Oregon, white, Democrat, assistant

Learning was so different because a lot of it was online. I’m not sure older people always get that.

Conner, 23, Florida, white, Republican, master’s student, server

I feel like our momentum slowed, because most of us were coming out of high school and going right into college. And I just feel like that time period during the pandemic either slowed us down or the companies that we would have been on track to work for laid off a bunch of their employees and are just keeping their core employees, and now they’ve gotten comfortable with just those employees. We’re the generation looking for jobs.

Armaan, 23, Massachusetts, Asian, Republican, looking for work

I was supposed to join college that year, but then because of Covid, I chose to defer a year and instead take that year to work with my dad in the family business.

Jonnie, 27, Missouri, Latino, Democrat, looking for work

Covid, at least for me and the people I know, I think it made us less social and more on our phones. It was really isolating.

Evan, 23, New York, Latino, Republican, administrative assistant

I feel like Covid made people feel — maybe it made people lazier. A lot of people I know dropped out of college. It felt like time was slowing down or on hold because Covid made things pause. You just got to be in your house or hang out with your friends, not thinking about life. I think some people started to care less about what they’re actually cultivating for their life.

Anaka, 23, Pennsylvania, Black, independent, program coordinator

I agree that Covid made us less social. I think it’s hard for us to talk to each other outside of our phones. We’re watching other people’s lives that look more successful than us. So there’s that false sense of competition that we have to deal with. There’s so much competition. And at the same time, we’re not talking to each other. So yeah, there’s definitely a sense of isolation in my generation. And I don’t think that was there before.

Jonnie, 27, Missouri, Latino, Democrat, looking for work

I use it to help me with shopping and personal advice, job advice, diet and exercise advice, advice on everything — really, finances. I use it like a friend.

Darrion, 26, Indiana, Black, Republican, automotive engineer

I just started making content on YouTube and Twitch, and I use A.I. to write scripts.

Armaan, 23, Massachusetts, Asian, Republican, looking for work

I think it’s become like the new Google for me. Any sort of information I need, instead of going and typing it in Google, I just go to the app because I think it provides a little more in-depth analysis than Google would.

Emily, 20, New Jersey, white, independent, student, fitness instructor

I’ll be honest. I use it for everything I do in school. I’ll give it my finance homework questions, honestly, because it’s like I’m never going to pass that class without it, because I just can’t understand it. This is simply the only way. I’ll use it to help me with papers to generate ideas.

Emily, 20, New Jersey, white, independent, student, fitness instructor

I think it has made it easier. I feel like I’m using A.I. mostly in the classes where I don’t feel like the professor’s doing a good job at teaching me. Not everyone is made to be a teacher. Some of my professors also encourage me to use A.I.

Anaka, 23, Pennsylvania, Black, independent, program coordinator

We’re seeing an issue with the job market for entry-level jobs that require experience, and A.I. has taken some of the experiences that I guess we were supposed to be hands-on with.

Anaka, 23, Pennsylvania, Black, independent, program coordinator

I think that’s coming from both sides. I can tell when a job description was written by A.I., and I think there are a lot more graduates, more than the country has ever seen. Everyone I know has either been to college and graduated or at least tried to go. So it’s just an intense time.

Heather, 23, Oregon, white, Democrat, assistant

I never really got on the A.I. bandwagon, really. I used Quizlet, I think, as a way some people were using A.I., and some classes, it feels like it’s giving you a little bit of an upper hand. So I think I tried to get away from that a little bit, because I didn’t want my future self to regret it.

Heather, 23, Oregon, white, Democrat, assistant

Just because I think it would give me an upper hand. It would give me answers. And I don’t know, part of school is you really thinking about certain things. So I kind of wanted to actually do that in my last couple of years rather than use the internet.

Molly, 21, Illinois, white, Democrat, looking for work

A.I. just really freaks me out. In general, I don’t understand it, and I don’t want to be a part of it, really. I don’t want to give it information. I don’t want to help it learn.

Molly, 21, Illinois, white, Democrat, looking for work

I just don’t like these big A.I. companies. I feel like they’re not very well regulated at this point. I have read about how terrible some of these things are for the environment. I don’t want to be judgmental, because I know how common it is, but I just see no need for it in my life.

Jeff, 25, Utah, white, Republican, cybersecurity analyst

I use A.I. just to help with my job functions. I feel like it’s definitely helped me become a little bit more efficient with the way that I do things.

Daniel, 26, Georgia, white, independent, landscaper

I don’t really use A.I. too much. It’s kind of affecting the job market, though, because it’s doing everything that a person could be doing, and it’s sifting through all the applications, maybe a person would see a certain résumé more positively than an A.I. would. It’s just too robot-y.

Bayleigh, 24, Texas, white, Democrat, nurse

I personally only follow people that I know, and I have a private account, and I enjoy it. I only let people I know follow me. So it kind of feels like when my friends are away on trips and I’m looking at their story, I feel like I’m there with them. I do sometimes doomscroll on TikTok if I have too much time. And then I’ll start seeing things that people are accomplishing. And I’m like, “Man, I’m so behind.” So it’s definitely like a seesaw. You have to balance. And I think I’m getting better at that.

Anaka, 23, Pennsylvania, Black, independent, program coordinator

Social media used to be something that I wanted to use to interact with my loved ones. But I don’t think I want to use it for that anymore. As of right now, it just seems negative. I looked up what too much screen time does to your brain. And it is actually, like, diminishing gray matter. So in my generation and below, our gray matter is, like, being ruined. So I don’t know. I’m mad at social media. Yet I am still an avid social media user. But we don’t know a life without it. It’s like an addiction.

Molly, 21, Illinois, white, Democrat, looking for work

I don’t know, but I think about the past, about the history of this country — I don’t think those were our best days. I don’t think our best days are now. That leaves the future.

Darrion, 26, Indiana, Black, Republican, automotive engineer

I actually think that the trade wars and tariffs are a step in the right direction for the country. So I have hope for better days ahead.

Bayleigh, 24, Texas, white, Democrat, nurse

Because of what we’re currently going through, I just don’t feel positively about our future.

Emily, 20, New Jersey, white, independent, student, fitness instructor

I just don’t see the country ever being united again as it used to be or people loving it anymore.

Emily, 20, New Jersey, white, independent, student, fitness instructor

Maybe, like, the early 2000s. I don’t think people were so against each other like now. I feel like it’s just like you’re either this or that. And it’s so far apart. I just feel like there wasn’t so much hate going on. Maybe that doesn’t sound right, but that’s what I think.

Anaka, 23, Pennsylvania, Black, independent, program coordinator

I feel like history repeats itself. We’re always going to be living in the worst and the best times because of human nature. Social media, it kind of exacerbates a lot of opinions. But in real life, we’re all speaking right now about each other’s opinions. And there’s not one where I can’t get into someone’s head and think, “OK, I understand,” even if maybe I don’t agree. The time is now because we’re alive now.

Molly, 21, Illinois, white, Democrat, looking for work

I just think it’s, like, that pull-yourself-up-by-the-bootstraps mentality that I don’t really think is true. The American dream is like, if you just work hard, you’re going to have all the successes. You’re going to have a McMansion in the suburbs and a pool and five kids. And it’s just not the reality. You can work so, so, so hard and never reach those goals you have in your mind or those goals that have been artificially set for you.

Evan, 23, New York, Latino, Republican, administrative assistant

I feel like everything is mostly within your hands. Everything is for the taking. And as long as you don’t do the wrong thing, tax evasion and whatnot, you could do whatever you want. You could be very successful.

Darrion, 26, Indiana, Black, Republican, automotive engineer

I wish I’d known more about cryptocurrency. I wish when I was in high school, I was able to get some coins. I think I would have been very rich by now.

Armaan, 23, Massachusetts, Asian, Republican, looking for work

I chose my university based on the co-op program, where you work for six months at a place. And I wanted to try a start-up, as well as an established corporate business. So I would probably go the other route and just do corporate because they would be more likely to hire in this day and age and not a smaller start-up.

Molly, 21, Illinois, white, Democrat, looking for work

I wish I would have appreciated being younger and being in high school more than I did. I think you always have a tendency to want to be older, want to be in college, want something different. You never appreciate it fully in the moment.

Daniel, 26, Georgia, white, independent, landscaper

I would say, go for a degree that actually matters. All degrees matter, but something that is going to get me a job, like a nurse, an engineer, a software engineer, something with computers. I went for a business degree. And I just feel like it’s a good, rounded degree to have. But I don’t know.

Heather, 23, Oregon, white, Democrat, assistant

I would probably tell myself to be more open-minded earlier on, about everything, anything.

Emily, 20, New Jersey, white, independent, student, fitness instructor

I would tell myself to save my money instead of spending it in stupid places. And I would also tell myself that nothing is ever that serious. I spent a lot of high school stressing out a lot and having a lot of anxiety about a lot of things. I just look back on it now and think, “You’re never going to remember that teacher or that one grade.” It’s not that deep. Some things are not that deep.

Jeff, 25, Utah, white, Republican, cybersecurity analyst

I think the biggest piece of career advice — how I can escalate up the ladder as quickly as possible.

Anaka, 23, Pennsylvania, Black, independent, program coordinator

Are you happily married? And how did you fix your credit score?

Jonnie, 27, Missouri, Latino, Democrat, looking for work

I would ask, “Is there any person I should avoid, any types of people I should avoid?”

Conner, 23, Florida, white, Republican, master’s student, server

I would ask him if it was worth it to get a master’s or if I could do it without, because it’s a lot of money to spend for a career.

Armaan, 23, Massachusetts, Asian, Republican, looking for work

I would probably ask if I’m on the right path or not.

Bayleigh, 24, Texas, white, Democrat, nurse

I have zero idea. I don’t think I want to know.

Evan, 23, New York, Latino, Republican, administrative assistant

I’d probably ask him, “How can I tell where the success is at?” I want to be like Kevin Durant. I want to join all the shooters. I want to join All-Stars. I want to be at the right place at the right time. I want to be with the right people. So I want to just know where the process is at.

Darrion, 26, Indiana, Black, Republican, automotive engineer

What is the price of Bitcoin, and what projects would be best to invest in?

Heather, 23, Oregon, white, Democrat, assistant

Do we have a job that my degree is catered toward?

Emily, 20, New Jersey, white, independent, student, fitness instructor

I’d ask if we have a lot of money and if we’re happy.

Alaura, 23, Tennessee, white, independent, mental health care

I would ask my 40-year-old self if there’s anything that I should do that I might not be aware of.

Molly, 21, Illinois, white, Democrat, looking for work

Am I happy?

Molly, 21, Illinois, white, Democrat, looking for work

I have no idea. I hope they say yes.