Clara Shih on how AI skills save young people from unemployment
42% of graduates are left without suitable jobs. New Work Foundation founder Clara Shih sees AI skills as the solution. She believes technology should benefit n
A youth employment crisis has erupted in the labor market. According to Bloomberg Tech, 42% of university graduates are underemployed — they're placed in positions outside their field, part-time, or below their education level. But there's a way out: companies are increasingly looking for employees who know how to work with AI. Clara Shih, founder of the New Work Foundation and former head of business at Meta, insists that AI training is the key to saving an entire generation.
Youth Caught in a Trap
The problem is multifaceted. Economic growth has slowed, there are more graduates than jobs in their field, and employers demand 3–5 years of experience even for entry-level positions. Young people work as packers, cashiers, or part-time in their field. This isn't a personal failure, but a systemic problem: the market isn't ready to absorb a new generation at this pace. Those aged 25 have it the hardest — precisely when they should be starting their careers.
AI Changes the Game
But something else is happening in parallel. Companies are investing in AI, automation, machine learning, and seeking specialists in these areas. Salaries for AI skills are higher than for traditional ones. This is a mismatch: young people are untrained, companies are looking for trained ones. Clara Shih sees an opportunity here. In her view, AI skills are not optional, but a prerequisite for competitiveness. And this applies not only to programmers: marketers, analysts, designers, managers — all need a basic understanding of machine learning and automation.
"We must make AI profitable not only for companies, but for every person,"
Shih believes.
Democratizing AI
Her vision extends far beyond coding education. Shih advocates for the idea that the benefits of technological progress should be distributed fairly:
- Mass training of youth in AI skills through accessible programs
- Creating retraining paths for those whose professions are being displaced by robots
- Distributing automation profits between companies and workers
- Investing in education so youth don't fall behind the market
Ideologically this is social, but economically it makes sense: untrained youth is lost productivity and social instability. Trained youth are consumers, taxpayers, innovators.
What This Means
The future of employment is not a battle between man and machine, but a partnership. Youth who master AI will gain a real competitive advantage. But this requires massive investments in education and a rethinking of who benefits from progress. Shih raises an important question: if AI enriches companies, why shouldn't this wealth reach people?