What Does Gen Z Think of AI?

21 July 2024 | Issue #57

In this issue:

What Does Gen Z Think of AI?
Five Ways AI Can Augment User Experience Design
Microsoft Designer Now Available for iOS and Android
Design Degree Dilemma
Let AI write your image alt text
Design quote of the week

In the 2024 Career Interest Survey, high-achieving members of Generation Z shared their perspectives on various career-related topics, including the evolving role of Artificial Intelligence (AI).

Notably, 64% of respondents are already incorporating AI into their work, studies, or daily life, primarily using it for brainstorming (39%) and proofreading (33%).

Despite this high adoption rate, there’s a split in sentiment about AI’s future impact: while 41% believe it will be more positive, a larger portion (59%) remains skeptical, concerned about job displacement and personal privacy.

Look at the breakdown of male vs. female. With females making up a clear majority of undergraduate students (60% by latest estimates), I wonder how this will play out across higher education and the people who are entering the workforce with a degree.

The survey also highlighted the career aspirations and employer preferences of Gen Z. Health-related fields are the top career choice for 46% of respondents, reflecting the ongoing impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. Engineering and science follow at 18% each. When choosing employers, the most valued factors are fair treatment (28%), work-life balance (25%), and corporate social responsibility (14%). Additionally, professional development opportunities are crucial, with 86% of participants seeking employers who offer career advancement pathways. Interestingly, there’s a noticeable decline in interest in working for tech companies.

Another significant finding is Gen Z’s approach to education and student debt. While scholarships are the primary means of financing education for 52% of respondents, concerns about making a sufficient income (63%) and achieving work-life balance (54%) are prominent.

Despite these worries, the pursuit of higher education remains strong, driven by the belief in its long-term benefits for career stability and growth.

Gen Z’s social and political engagement is also noteworthy. This generation is deeply invested in issues like healthcare (32%), human rights (29%), and the environment (29%). As many will be voting in the upcoming U.S. presidential election for the first time, the economy (63%), social justice (54%), and government corruption (52%) are the most important issues influencing their vote. This highlights their commitment to shaping a future that aligns with their values and aspirations.

NEWS AT THE INTERSECTION OF AI AND DESIGN

✍🏻 Five Ways AI Can Augment User Experience Design

Consultancy.eu explores how AI is transforming user experience (UX) design, offering innovative solutions that enhance the way users interact with digital products.

• Personalized Experiences: AI can analyze user behavior and preferences to create highly personalized experiences, tailoring content and interfaces to individual users for greater engagement and satisfaction.

• Predictive Analytics: By leveraging predictive analytics, AI can anticipate user needs and actions, allowing designers to address potential issues and optimize the user journey proactively.

Read about the other three ways

👩‍💻 Microsoft Designer Now Available for iOS and Android

Maginative reports on the release of Microsoft Designer for iOS and Android, bringing advanced design tools to mobile users and enhancing creative workflows on the go.

• Mobile Accessibility: With the app now available on iOS and Android, designers can create and edit projects from anywhere, offering greater flexibility and convenience.

• Integrated AI Features: The mobile version includes powerful AI tools that assist in generating design ideas, layouts, and custom graphics, making high-quality design more accessible to everyone.

Keep reading

☠️ Figma AI Update

Figma has further walked back its use of AI to create layouts. Apparently, the stealing was a little too obvious.

Keep reading

NEW RESOURCES FOR YOU

Design Degree Dilemma

I recently got the chance to catch up with Dr. Rebecca Davis Kelly and her husband, Kevin Kelly, to discuss the future of design. Rebecca was recently awarded her doctorate and teaches design at Syracuse. Her dissertation was on the democratization of design in education.

Do designers need a formal education, or can they learn enough through YouTube videos and online courses? Rebecca explored this in her dissertation. I haven't read the full 355 pages (yet), but she said that it can be hard to tell which designs are created by those with formal education and those without.

I'm glad to see designers as impressive as Rebecca and Kevin, who are concerned with the field's future and how students learn the craft. How do we maintain value in a field now accessible to all?

You can read the research uncovered in this dissertation now.

BTW, I didn't have Rebecca when I was in school; she joined my alma mater after I graduated, and I'm jealous of the students who get to have an educator who is so invested in them.

Easily Add Alt Text to Images

We all know accessibility is critically important. But sometimes you're importing hundreds of photos and don't have time to add alt tags right away.

Now there's AltTex.ai. This WordPress plugin uses AI to write your alt text as soon as the image is uploaded. It can save you a lot of time while doing work that can't be ignored.

Thanks to Ken Williams for bringing this to my attention.