KPMG Intern Pulse Survey: Gen Z Expects One-Third of Their Future Jobs to Be Automated by AI — But 78% Feel Prepared to Work Alongside It

THOMAS: "Gen Z isn't in denial about what AI means for their careers, they're doing the math in real time. They see the disruption accelerating and they feel it in their daily work. The question for organizations is whether they're equipping this generation with the tools and skills to navigate the next era of work."

• More than eight in ten interns (81%) are at least moderately concerned (71%, with 10% extremely concerned) that AI agents will significantly change or replace entry-level work within the next five years, and nearly half (47%) believe AI will not result in net job creation — compared to just 17% who expect net job growth.
• Despite this, the dominant emotional response to AI in the workplace is curiosity (54%) and excitement (27%), with concern registering at just 1% and caution at 8%.
• Nearly eight in ten (78%) feel at least somewhat prepared to work alongside AI agents.
• 40% say they feel pressure to use AI at a high level to stay competitive with peers, while two-thirds (66%) actively collaborate with peers to share AI learnings and best practices.

THOMAS: "The employers who get this right won't just hand Gen Z an AI tool and walk away. They'll build the scaffolding around it — the mentorship, the real-world application, the feedback loops. That's what can turn curiosity into capability.”

• When it comes to what they want employers to teach them about AI, interns prioritize practical day-to-day AI productivity skills first, followed by job- and industry-specific application, then AI for analytics, and finally advanced automation and modeling.
• When asked which skills they are most focused on exhibiting as entry-level employees working alongside AI agents, interns ranked critical thinking and problem-solving first, followed by adaptability and continuous learning, and creative and strategic thinking — with industry-specific education or background ranking last.
• The top concern about AI use is over-reliance limiting critical thinking and decision-making (43%). However, 51% say AI most enables them to understand new topics faster, and 17% say it helps them produce work that feels more senior.
• Notably, only 6% worry that AI will reduce opportunities to develop people-management and coaching skills, the lowest concern for interns. However, 51% say they'd design an AI agent for interns primarily for real-time coaching and explanations.
• In terms of what they’re currently learning about AI in school, a majority (61%) experience either inconsistent or restrictive GenAI rules at their university, while 30% report a balanced approach with guidelines. Of note, only 9% describe their university as very supportive in allowing and encouraging the use of GenAI.

THOMAS: "There's a real irony here: Gen Z is an AI-native generation, but they understand that the experiences that matter most to their development can't be digitized. They want mentors, not just models. They want to learn by watching, doing and connecting — and no algorithm replicates that."

• 83% prefer a hybrid schedule of three to four days in-office per week, and they ranked hands-on, practical experience as the most valuable thing they hoped to gain from their internship, followed by mentoring relationships and network-building, with AI and technical upskilling ranking lowest.
• In a similar vein, hands-on project work and in-person mentorship are viewed as the strongest single accelerators of full-time readiness, and 32% pointed to the immersive KPMG Lakehouse experience as the primary driver of hands-on exposure to new tools and approaches that strengthened analytical and communication skills.
• Nearly all respondents (98%) built at least one genuine friendship with a fellow intern they expect to maintain beyond the internship, with 61% citing KPMG's National Intern Training at Lakehouse as the most helpful experience for building those connections.
• More than nine in ten respondents (93%) said having strong workplace friendships increases their desire to return to the firm — consistent with KPMG research linking workplace friendships to engagement and retention.

THOMAS: "Gen Z is redefining what success looks like. They want to reach the top professionally, but they want a life outside of work while they're getting there. That's a generation looking to chart a different course, for the long haul, with an organization that will meet them there."

• Salary ranks as the top consideration when evaluating a full-time role, with work-life balance a close second, and interns are willing to sacrifice, on average, $5,000 in salary in exchange for stronger benefits including flexibility, culture and development opportunities.
• The "always available" mentality tops the list of traditional workplace practices they most want eliminated (24%), followed by strict 9-to-5 schedules (21%) and the lack of emphasis on mental health and well-being (18%).
• Nearly all respondents (92%) expressed at least some interest in reaching the C-suite or a senior executive role, while 46% disagree with the idea of changing careers multiple times in a lifetime. In addition, despite economic uncertainty, 78% feel confident in their ability to reach key financial milestones.
• 74% are informed about recent CPA licensure changes, with 85% planning to pursue the traditional CPA pathway and 11% planning to pursue an alternative CPA pathway. Of note, sentiment around Big 4 recruiting timeline is mixed, with 60% saying they would change the timeline or have reservations about how early it occurs.