AI is changing the tech job market, and Gen Z is struggling to keep up

This post originally appeared in the BI Tech Memo newsletter.
Sign up for the weekly BI Tech Memo newsletter here.
As my daughter can attest, it's a tough job market out there. She's a mechanical engineer, which seems steady demand-wise. But many of her college friends are struggling to find that crucial entry-level job or internship. Some are wondering if computer science and similar courses were the right decision, with AI automating software tasks at companies.
Just look at what's happening at Amazon. CEO Andy Jassy said this week that his corporate workforce will shrink over the next few years as the company uses more generative AI tools and agents.
Not so coincidentally, Business Insider just spent weeks interviewing Gen Z tech job seekers as AI transforms early-career experiences across the industry. Our findings are a must-read for anyone looking to break in here and find success.
Jonathan, a 26-year-old software engineer, is emblematic of what we discovered. (He's not authorized to speak to the media, so we removed his last name.) After earning his degree in 2022, he sent out nearly 300 applications and got 12 responses. It took three months to land a full-time tech role. Less than a year later, he lost that job due to his employer shutting an office. Then, he found himself repeating the process, this time applying to 600 jobs and hearing back from only five.
"Everyone tells you to get into computer science. That's where all the money is at, that's where the jobs are at," Jonathan told BI. "It's a lot harder than they make it out to be."
He's not alone. Recent computer science grads face a 6.1% unemployment rate in the US, higher than the national average. Wow. I never thought I'd see a stat like that.
Jonathan now works in defense tech, not the video game industry he originally aspired to join. Like many of his peers, he's focused on gaining experience — any experience.
It's looking like a tech career is evolving from a sure thing into something similar to every other type of job: You have to hustle and network to get your foot in the door, and then work like hell to stay employed and build steadily from there.
What else should you do as an aspiring tech worker? Our Gen Z survey story doesn't have all the answers, but there's great advice in here.
Read the original article on Business Insider

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

Yahoo

20 minutes ago

• Yahoo

Save Your Batteries, This Solar-Powered Security Camera Is 50% off Right Now

Are you looking to outfit your home with a new smart security camera? While sales events like Prime Day in July are a great time to buy, you can get this excellent Eufy wireless solar-powered 2K security camera today for only $65. The Eufy Solocam S220 is a capable outdoor security camera like any other, only it has a few fancy tricks up its sleeve. You won't have to run a bunch of long power wires or deal with constantly replacing or recharging batteries, something most security cameras struggle with. That's because this outdoor security camera is solar-powered and only needs about three hours of sunlight to keep tabs on your home daily. Eufy's Solocam S220's MSRP is $130, although it is often discounted to under $100. Lucky for you, Amazon just slashed the price by 50%, making this stellar camera only $64.99. So, what does this camera offer, and what can you expect for your money? Well, quite a bit, thankfully. It's easy to mount just about anywhere, although you'll want a spot with plenty of sunshine. Then, pair it with the Eufy app, and you'll get crystal-clear 2K resolution video of all the happenings around your home. While the battery inside is charged by the solar cell, you shouldn't have to deal with it at all. The Eufy Solocam S220 offers night vision thanks to an Infrared LED and movement detection. It also uses AI to detect familiar faces, animals, and more to know when a notification is worth sending. That way, you won't get alerts for a branch blowing in the wind. This outdoor solar-powered security camera only takes about five minutes to install. It has a durable IP67 rating to handle any outdoor conditions, 2-way audio, and custom security zones you can customize in the app, to name a few. More importantly, there's no monthly fee with Eufy, so you buy once and enjoy peace of mind for years to come. If there's a downside, the unit only has 8GB of storage, so storage space is somewhat limited. Either way, this solid camera makes home security a breeze. Grab yours before it sells out.

Engadget

an hour ago

• Engadget

Amazon Prime Day 2025: The best early deals you can shop now, dates and everything else you need to know

Amazon Prime Day 2025 will be here soon on July 8-11, but as to be expected, you can already find some decent sales available now. Amazon always has lead-up sales in the days and weeks before Prime Day, and it's wise to shop early if you're on the hunt for something specific and you see that item at a good discount. Prime Day deals are typically reserved for subscribers, but there are always a few that anyone can shop. We expect this year to be no exception, and we're already starting to see that trend in these early Prime Day deals. These are the best Prime Day deals you can get right now ahead of the event, and we'll update this post with the latest offers as we get closer to the official days of Prime Day. Audible Premium Plus (three months) for $3 ($42 off): New subscribers can get three months of Audible for only $3, which represents a $42 discount. The Premium Plus tier gives you one book credit per month to use on any audiobook the service has, and you can stream any of the included titles for free on top of that. Audible also has members-only sales and discounts that you'll be able to take advantage of, too. The deal runs through July 31. Anker 313 wireless charging stand for $14 (29 percent off): One of our top picks for the best wireless chargers, Anker's 313 stand keeps things simple but effective. Just plop your phone down on its wide stand to get up to 10W of fast-charging power. It supports both portrait and landscape orientation for your phone, and it'll work with cases up to 5mm thick. 8BitDo Micro Bluetooth gamepad for $17 (33 percent off): This cute controller works with Switch, Android and Raspberry Pi devices, and it has 16 buttons that can be customized with mapping using 8BitDo's mobile software. Samsung SmartTag 2 for $18.50 (38 percent off): Samsung users looking to keep track of their stuff need look no further than the SmartTag 2. One of our top picks for the best Bluetooth trackers, this accessory easily attaches to keys, bags and other items and uses Samsung's large finding network to show you their last known location. Anker 633 10K magnetic battery pack for $43 (28 percent off, Prime exclusive): This 10K battery pack attaches magnetically to the backs of iPhones, making it easy to recharge while on the go. It also has a built-in kickstand for easy video watching or FaceTime calling while powering up. Soundcore Space A40 wireless earbuds for $45 (44 percent off): The Space A40 are some of the best budget wireless earbuds you can get right now, thanks to excellent ANC performance for their price, a pleasant sound profile, a comfortable fit and multi-device connectivity. They also have a solid eight-hour battery life, plus an extra 40 with their charging case. Apple AirPods 4 for $99 at Amazon ($30 off): Apple's wireless earbuds don't have the best sound quality or battery life, and this entry-level model lacks wireless charging, Find My tracking and onboard volume controls. But it still gets you tons of Apple-friendly features — from fast pairing with iCloud devices to spatial audio to hands-free Siri — and its lightweight design should fit most ears better than previous AirPods. Apple iPad (A16) for $299 at Amazon ($50 off): The latest base model iPad comes with a faster A16 chip, 2GB more RAM and 128GB of storage as standard. It earned a score of 84 in our review — if you only need an iPad for roaming the internet, watching shows and doing some lighter productivity tasks, it's a good starter tablet. Apple Mac Mini M4 for $469 ($130 off): If you prefer desktops, the upgraded M4 Mac mini is one that won't take up too much space, but will provide a ton of power at the same time. Not only does it come with an M4 chipset, but it also includes 16GB of RAM in the base model, plus front-facing USB-C and headphone ports for easier access. Apple Watch Series 10 for $329 ($70 off): We consider Apple's flagship wearable to be the best smartwatch you can buy, period. It's a mostly iterative update, with faster charging, a slightly slimmer design and a marginally larger display than the prior Series 9. That said, it's still a comprehensive fitness tracker, and no other smartwatch can integrate as neatly with iPhones and other Apple devices. Ring Doorbell Battery + Indoor Cam 2 for $70 (50 percent off): If you're looking to build out a security system in your home, this bundle is a good place to start, giving you a video doorbell and an indoor security camera. You'll be able to see both live feeds in the Ring app, and they can send you motion alerts and let you speak to people on the other end of the camera when you're not at home. Anker MagGo 3-in-1 charging station for $82 (25 percent off): A top pick in our guide to the best multi-device wireless chargers, this Anker power station can charge a phone, pair of earbuds and smartwatch all at once. It's primarily built for Apple devices, with a built-in Apple Watch charger and a neat space for AirPods. It's a solid option for frequent travelers thanks to the fact that it folds up to roughly the size of a deck of cards when not in use. Levoit LVAC-200 cordless vacuum cleaner for $150 (25 percent off): One of our top picks for the best cordless vacuums, this Levoit machine picks up a good amount of dirt, debris and pet hair considering its size and cost. It's pretty lightweight and has a convenient single-button start, plus it can be quickly disassembled for easy storage. Blink Outdoor 4 security cameras (five-camera system) for $160 (60 percent off): Get enough security cameras to outfit most of your home with this bundle. The Outdoor 4 cams are some of our favorites; you can use them indoors or outdoors, they supports 1080p video, motion alerts, local video storage when you employ a thumb drive with the Sync Module 2 that comes with the pack and they're totally wireless, running on two AA batteries each. Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 for $200 ($50 off): The latest Powerbeats Pro earbuds have a comfier design and powerful bass performance that's sure to keep you hyped during a workout. These are Apple's first wireless earbuds with built-in heart rate monitoring, too, but that will likely only appeal to those who intend on using these buds primarily while working out. GoPro Hero 13 Black action camera for $329 ($100 off): Our favorite action camera for most people, the Hero 13 Black now works with a family of module lenses, making it even more versatile than models that came before it, plus it has a larger battery that supports longer capture times. On top of that, it has good digital stabilization, a full-color screen and excellent image quality. Eufy E20 3-in-1 robot vacuum for $380 (42 percent off): One of Eufy's latest machines and a top pick of ours for the best robot vacuums, the E20 can putter around your home automatically, sucking up dirt and debris in its path. But then it can quickly transform into a cordless or handheld vacuum, allowing you to clean hard-to-reach spots manually. Sony WH-1000XM6 headphones + $30 Amazon gift card for $448 ($30 off): Sony's newest pair of premium cans just came out not too long ago, and they promptly took the top spot in our best wireless headphones guide. The company managed to improve sound quality and ANC this time around, plus they have an even comfier design and loads of extra features like multi-device connectivity, Speak-to-Chat and more. LG 42-inch C4 evo OLED smart TV for $700 (20 percent off): This 2024 OLED TV has over eight million self-lit pixels, a 144Hz refresh rate and support for NVIDIA G-Sync, AMD FreeSync Premium and VRR for gaming. It's powered by LG's a9 AI processor Gen7, and it has Alexa built in as well. Prime Day is Amazon's members-only shopping event, which means you'll have to be a Prime subscriber on Prime Day to take advantage of most of the savings. Amazon still offers a 30-day free trial to new Prime subscribers, so you can start your free trial closer to July and participate in the event. Amazon Prime Day 2025 will be back this year on July 8 through July 11. Amazon Prime Day typically comes around annually in July. In the last few years, Amazon has also had its "Big Deal Days" in October, which is effectively a second Prime Day and the unofficial kickoff to the holiday shopping season. Prime subscribers can go to Amazon's site on Prime Day to see all of the exclusive deals they have access to. Prime subscribers do not have to do anything additional to get Prime Day sales: the discounts you see on product pages will show up in your cart automatically. If you're not a Prime subscriber and you go to Amazon to shop on Prime Day, you'll likely see tons of items on sale but only "with Prime;" those discounts will not be available to those who are not active Prime subscribers. Technically yes, but even if you do not pay for a Prime membership, you should still check out Amazon on Prime Day. While most Prime Day deals will be exclusively available to subscribers, there are always a handful of sales available to all shoppers. Amazon distinguishes between them very clearly: you'll see "Prime exclusive" on product pages near the deal pricing on the discounts that are only available to paying members. Separately, it's very likely that other retailers like Walmart, Target and Best Buy will have their own competing Prime Day sales during that time frame, too. So if you're not keen on shopping at Amazon at all, it's worth checking out other retailers during the week of Prime Day to see if they are matching Prime Day deal prices.

Miami Herald

2 hours ago

• Miami Herald

Walmart delivers Amazon some really bad news

While Walmart (WMT) has been the industry leader for many decades when it comes to general retail, there's been proof as of late that Amazon (AMZN) is coming for its crown. In February 2025, it was reported that Amazon had dethroned Walmart in quarterly revenue for the first time ever, scoring $187.8 billion in Q4 2024, while Walmart brought in $180.5 billion. Don't miss the move: Subscribe to TheStreet's free daily newsletter While Amazon has long been nipping at Walmart's heels, this marked a new level of competition between the retail giants, and it's a war that will likely be riveting to watch as it continues to develop. Related: Walmart responds to outrage over return of a harsh policy In an effort to compete with Amazon's Prime service, which originally launched in 2005, Walmart launched its own service in 2020 called Walmart+, which offered free shipping, Scan and Go perks in the Walmart app, and fuel discounts at participating stations. The problem, of course, is that Amazon had a 15-year head start - but that doesn't mean Walmart shouldn't aim for a slice of the pie. That said, Amazon Prime last reported 180 million subscribers as of March 2024, according to Consumer Intelligence Research Partners, while Walmart+ is estimated to have about 17.2 million, per a Morgan Stanley survey. But it looks like Walmart just might have gained an edge on Amazon. New data taken over the last year reveals that a survey of Amazon Prime members opted to buy their groceries online from Walmart instead of via Amazon, per Coresight Research. More Retail: Huge retail chain suddenly closing hundreds of storesMajor retailer scores huge benefit from Joann bankruptcyHome Depot, Target, Ulta and more strike back at retail crime The survey, which included 2,004 U.S. consumers Coresight spoke with April, as well as the insights culled from similar-sized groups over a seven-year period, shows that just shy of 60% of Prime subscribers bought groceries online from Walmart in the last year. In that same period, only 52% of Prime members turned to Amazon for their grocery shopping. But Walmart saw 79% of its Walmart+ subscribers buy groceries online during that time, showing stronger loyalty. Related: Walmart shares new service that's better than Amazon Online grocery shopping overall is dropping, but just slightly, with Coresight reporting that 53.6% of respondents bought groceries online last year, as compared to 56.3% during the prior year. While Walmart has long been known for catering to the needs of lower-income customers, it showed a surprising new trend in 2024: it's also attracting more affluent consumers. A growing base of new customers drove strong growth for Walmart's grocery business in the first half of 2024, per data from a Brick Meets Click report called Profiling the Online Shopper: eGrocery Purchase Patterns in the U.S. In the meantime, Walmart recently shared that it will enrich grocery offerings as part of its new "Store of the Future" rollout, including a Hispanic bakery section, a fresh tortilla maker, a sushi station, and more. Amazon also is taking steps to continue to pull in grocery customers, such as allowing them to buy items from Whole Foods, and Amazon Fresh in a single order. Related: Walmart takes a major step in a bold new direction The Arena Media Brands, LLC THESTREET is a registered trademark of TheStreet, Inc.