Life
Unlike the boomers and millennials before them, it’s no secret (or surprise, really) that many Gen Zers struggle in the modern workforce. The mentality of previous generations has widely been associated with living to work rather than working to live and it wasn’t until recently that those generations got a taste of the latter. For Gen Z, though, having a positive work-life mentality has always been at the forefront, and they’ll do whatever it takes to maintain it. Enter the side hustle.
A massive 73% of Gen Zers dream of starting a side hustle, and of those that have, the same percentage are using AI to enhance their pursuits. This generation doesn’t shy away from embracing innovation to redefine the traditional employment paradigm, and the folks at Samsung recently published The 2024 AI-Preneur Effect: How Gen Z and Next-Gen Tech are Transforming Work Culture to find out why. Below, a deep dive into all things side hustles in recognition of National Entrepreneurship Day.
According to the study, which surveyed adults ages 18 to 27 in France, Germany, Korea, the United Kingdom, and the United States, a whopping 49% of Gen Zers say the realities of traditional work have fallen short of expectations. Not to mention, 87% of Gen Z globally have specific challenges with full-time work, citing inflexibility (60%), job security (58%), and creativity (55%) as their top challenges. With more than half of Gen Z noting a lack of time or the opportunity to be creative, it comes as no surprise that seven in 10 respondents are dreaming of starting side hustles where they can follow their passions. The most prominent side hustle dreamers are in the United States, where a resounding 81% of Gen Zers have entrepreneurial dreams beyond their primary employment. So, what’s holding them back? Time, resources, and tools.
The Power & Promise Of AI
By now, it’s clear why Gen Z is known as a generation of digital natives. They’ve grown up fully connected in the digital world, which makes it unsurprising that AI is not merely a tool, but it’s the tool they rely on for streamlining, simplifying, and boosting productivity and creativity at work.
As stated in The 2024 AI-Preneur Effect study, 69% of Gen Z side hustlers consider AI the first go-to resource that comes to mind when they need help at work, and 75% say AI helps them get things done more effectively. “With AI, you can work more efficiently and quickly, making your side business more successful,” says a 20-year-old student in Korea.
What Gen Zers really want, though, is streamlined AI solutions and connectivity across their current devices. In fact, 65% of the cohort prefer to use AI tools that are integrated into devices they already use, which is why we’re seeing products like the Samsung Galaxy Book5 Pro 360 hit the market. It’s uniquely designed to allow users to bring their Galaxy AI phone experience right to their PC screen, making it the ideal device for any Gen Z side hustler. As a Microsoft Copilot+ PC, it comes packed with even more AI features designed to help you get things done. Plus, there’s a dedicated AI key that lets you chat with Microsoft Copilot and get results personalized to you.
What Current Side Hustlers Say
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AI Helps You Work Smarter, Not Harder
The biggest takeaway from The 2024 AI-Preneur Effect? Gen Z side hustlers have proven they aren’t going anywhere anytime soon and their demand for innovative technology is only going to grow from here. Nearly all side hustlers (96%) expressed interest in using new AI tools to help with specific tasks like summarizing documents, conducting research, and developing content. “AI can save me an enormous amount of time on less important things, and I can focus on things that are more important,” says a 25-year-old from France. Side hustles are helping to reshape conventional notions of work, and mobile AI-powered technologies are quickly becoming a source of support to help unlock new prospects and power.
