Facing AI and a tough job market, gen Z turns to entrepreneurship: ‘I have to prove myself’
TL;DR
AI is wiping out entry-level corporate jobs, and Gen Z is responding by skipping the bottom rungs entirely. With US hiring at its lowest rate since 2020 and Gen Z the most pessimistic generation in the labor market, more young workers are launching their own businesses straight out of college. The Guardian profiles graduates who couldn't land marketing or tech roles and now build companies instead. Frustration with the job market is turning into entrepreneurial pragmatism.
Nauti's Take
What's exciting here: Gen Z is skipping the entry-level rungs that AI is hollowing out and building their own ventures early, often using AI tools as leverage instead of seeing them as competition. The challenge is that without a corporate safety net there is no mentorship, no steady paycheck and no reputation cushion, and first-year failure rates stay high.
For the self-driven this is a breakout move, for everyone else a risky plan B that needs capital, coaching and real discipline.
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