HP’s senior executive George Brasher isn’t buying the narrative that Gen Z is lazy. “I don’t see that at all,” said the company’s SVP and managing director, North America, claiming that the Gen Z’s label of lacking interpersonal skills is a myth and that they’re now driving massive business wins with their work ethic. The HP executive also explained that growing up in the digital era is their superpower, as their AI skills not only make them more skilled on the job but also translate into a better quality of working life.“I’ve got a reasonable population of Gen Z folks in my team, and I find people with great ability to listen, great ability to build that trust, to build that relationship, and then to understand really what customers need,” Brasher told Fortune. HP employs about 55,000 workers globally, and believes that the youngest generation of employees is leading the charge in creating a more “interconnected, inclusive, and conscientious world.“
Being digital natives is Gen Z’s biggest workplace advantage: HP SVP George Brasher
“Gen Z and millennials have the highest use of AI, highest use of the technology,” Brasher continued. “The fact that they’re digital natives—and AI natives—really puts them in a great position…to have that use of technology that will give them a healthy relationship with work.”College students turning their tassels and taking on 9-to-5 jobs are typically AI natives, Brasher adds, which “positions them very well” within the tough entry-level job market. More than one million US job postings even required AI-related skills as of last year, a 66% increase from 2024, according to a 2026 PwC analysis of Lightcast data.Being well-acquainted with the tools is the key to success in the newest era of tech: “I think everybody coming into their initial career into companies needs to make sure that they’re the best prepared for that,” Brasher advised.
LinkedIn founder Reid Hoffman and others agree that Gen Z has in-demand tech skills
LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman agrees that Gen Z’s AI fluency could be their biggest advantage in a tough entry-level job market. The billionaire entrepreneur said that young people are part of “generation AI”; as digital natives who grew up with advanced technology at their fingertips, they are in the best position to leverage that skill. It may be Gen Z’s ticket to landing a job.“Bringing the fact that you have AI in your tool set is one of the things that makes you enormously attractive,” Hoffman said in a video on his YouTube channel last year.Meanwhile, Emily Glassberg Sands, the head of data and AI at Stripe, revealed that she’s all-in on hiring recent graduates at the financial services company. She singled out Gen Z’s tech adaptability as one of the in-demand skills she’s looking for in Stripe employees. They “have the cutting-edge skills” and are up to date on the latest tools, which helps them hit the ground running.