Despite ongoing fears that AI could wipe out jobs, billionaire entrepreneur Mark Cuban sees the opposite unfolding especially for Gen Z. He argues that young people who embrace AI now will find more career openings, not fewer. The key, he says, is not only learning how the technology works but also mastering how to help older generations implement it in real-world businesses.
“The most important job opportunity for kids coming out of school is learning how to walk into a company, show the benefits of AI, and customize tools for them,” Cuban told TBPN last week.
While headlines often focus on AI replacing entry-level workers, Cuban points to a different reality: about 95 percent of all generative AI pilot projects are currently failing. The problem isn’t lack of potential—it’s that many executives don’t know how to implement these systems effectively. That’s where Gen Z, with their digital fluency and adaptability, can carve out a niche.
“There are millions of companies that have five, 10, 50, 100, or even 500 employees that aren’t going to have AI budgets, that aren’t going to have AI experts,” Cuban explained. “This is where kids get hired.”
Cuban urges high school and college students to spend their free time studying AI, from video generators like OpenAI’s Sora and Google’s Veo to the nuts and bolts of customizing machine learning models. He believes students should be able to walk into a small business and instantly identify how AI could cut costs, speed up decisions, or improve customer service.
“If I were a young person today, I’d spend every waking moment learning AI,” he previously told Fortune. He even admitted he would fall asleep listening to AI podcasts to absorb knowledge faster.
For Cuban, AI is rapidly becoming as fundamental as email or Excel. In his view, it’s not just a tool, it’s leverage. “If you’re not using AI to move faster or make smarter decisions, you’re behind,” he said. “The most successful entrepreneur will understand how to properly use AI.”
Other CEOs share this outlook. Apple’s Tim Cook recently told employees that the company must accelerate its use of AI to stay competitive, while Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang warned that jobs won’t be lost to machines, but to people who wield them better. “Every job will be affected, and immediately. It is unquestionable,” Huang said earlier this year.
For all the anxiety about automation, Cuban believes the future of work could be brightest for those willing to dive headfirst into AI. Rather than fearing job loss, Gen Z has a chance to position themselves as the bridge between cutting-edge tools and the millions of businesses struggling to keep up.
In Cuban’s words, “Learn all you can about AI, but learn more on how to implement them in companies. That’s where the jobs are.”
