KPMG Intern Pulse Survey: Gen Z Sees AI Automating 20% of Their Future Full-Time Jobs but Are Confident in Ability to Adapt to AI Advancements in Their Field

THOMAS: "Gen Z is making AI work for them. While other generations are still debating whether to use it, Gen Z is exploring new and creative ways to utilize AI for increased efficiency in their daily lives and enhance their performance at work.”

• 60% believe they are more experimental with AI tools compared to older generations, willing to try AI for everything from school to personal projects.
• 89% use generative AI frequently (at least once or twice per week) in their day-to-day right now (both personally and professionally).
• 57% believe technical skills specific to their roles are the most valuable skill development opportunity for their careers.
• Top concern about AI usage is over-reliance (not wanting to become too dependent on AI for thinking or creating), followed by misinformation/bias concerns.
• Only 8% say their university is very supportive in allowing and encouraging AI tool use (least chosen response) while 52% report their universities take a balanced approach to AI, allowing use of GenAI research tools while implementing guidelines to ensure it complements rather than replaces critical thinking and creativity.

THOMAS: "Great careers with real balance: this generation wants careers that fuel their ambitions without burning them out. Gen Z brings their whole self to work and expects their employers to support every part of that equation. It’s about building a fulfilling life, not just a successful career."

• Work-life balance ranks as the most important when thinking about starting a full-time job, followed by salary.
• 47% want to eliminate traditional 9-5 work schedules, the most popular workplace change desired.
• Many also look to eliminate the lack of emphasis on mental health and well-being in the workplace as well as mandatory video-on for virtual communication.
• The biggest challenge in navigating workplace expectations is feeling unsure about when it's appropriate to take breaks and step away from desks.
• When thinking about their digital presence at work, they are making their work-life balance desires known, feeling least concerned about what’s appropriate to post or share on social media platforms or about managing visibility and responsiveness (e.g. staying “active” on messaging platforms).
• When asked about wellness benefits when considering a future employer, financial wellness benefits are the most important followed by flexible wellness benefits and family wellness benefits.
• In terms of fostering a culture of inclusion and belonging, team members respecting different perspectives is most important followed by a culture that accommodates different working styles and personalities.
• When asked about what types of social media influencers they follow the most, lifestyle and wellness influencers are the most followed while career and professional development influencers are among the least followed.

• Interns found in-person office interactions are most useful for building professional relationships during internships.
• They most hope to gain a mentoring relationship with their manager during their internship.
• Observing how colleagues and managers interact in-office helps interns feel most confident navigating workplace expectations.
• Interns were most likely to say they made 5+ genuine friends with fellow interns this summer.
• When building these friendships with other interns, in-person conversations at the office are most valuable, followed by shared breaks or meals with colleagues and networking events organized by the company.
• The most challenging aspect of digital workplace presence identified by the respondents: deciding how much personality to show in virtual spaces.
• Interns specified that hands-on practice projects are the preferred way to learn new information at work, followed by peer-to-peer knowledge sharing and in-person training sessions.
• Notably, short-form videos and AI-powered adaptive learning are among the least preferred ways to learn new information at work, according to respondents.

• While 59% expect to build expertise and climb the ladder at just one or two companies over their careers, 27% prioritize following what gives them the greatest sense of purpose over traditional career paths.
• In addition, 35% plan to stay in one field but may change roles throughout their lifetime.
• Of the common popular perceptions of Gen Z, the top one interns would like to see eliminated is that they are "lazy/unmotivated," selected among close to half of interns (47%).