How to Get Hired in the AI Era - Clara Shih with Nicholas Thompson

How to Get Hired in the AI Era - Clara Shih with Nicholas Thompson

Author: Atlantic Re:think September 2, 2026 Duration: 50:43
For years, tech CEOs have promised that AI will take on the menial, repetitive tasks that have long been a part of office life. Typically, those tasks are assigned to younger, less experienced workers—and poll after poll shows Gen Z is increasingly concerned about what AI will mean for their job prospects. Clara Shih says those fears are, at least partly, justified. As the former head of Meta's Business AI Group, and the CEO of Salesforce AI before that, Shih knows firsthand how companies are deploying AI and where it's affecting hiring. Now, as the founder of the New Work Foundation, Shih is building tools to help young workers navigate this complex hiring maze. In conversation with Nicholas Thompson, CEO of The Atlantic, Shih details the skills students should focus on to prepare for the AI era, how employees can leverage the technology, and why more people—of all ages—might soon find themselves working for an algorithm. Produced independently of The Atlantic’s editorial staff. (0:00) Introduction (02:35) What New Work Foundation is doing for Gen Z job seekers (04:00) Is your major cooked? Testing the "Field Report" tool (06:50) What AI exposure scores don’t capture (10:20) How colleges should prepare students for the AI era (17:30) Why beginners shouldn't use AI to learn something new (22:00) Is college still worth it? (23:42) Why applying for a job is harder than it used to be (29:52) AI will make big companies more efficient—and less fun  (33:12) How the bitter lesson could apply to entire organizations (36:12) The three buckets all white-collar work might soon fall into (42:51) Are companies actually laying people off because of AI? (47:54) What Clara would do if she had an unlimited budget to invest in AI Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nicholas Thompson sits down with some of the sharpest minds working at the edges of artificial intelligence in The Most Interesting Thing in A.I.. This isn't a dry technical briefing or a series of speculative futures; instead, each conversation digs into the tangible, often surprising ways this technology is already altering the fabric of our daily lives and institutions. You'll hear from leading thinkers who cut through the hype to discuss the real ethical dilemmas, economic shifts, and social transformations unfolding right now. Produced by Atlantic Re:think and PwC, the podcast provides a grounded space to explore questions about creativity, power, work, and truth in an age of intelligent machines. The discussions are built on the premise that understanding AI's impact requires looking beyond code and algorithms to consider human values and consequences. Tune in for thoughtful, accessible dialogues that reframe how we think about one of the most significant forces of our time.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 41

The Most Interesting Thing in AI
Podcast Episodes
Outsourcing Thought - with Nicholas Thompson and Nita Farahany [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:14
AI is reshaping not just what we think but how we think. In this episode, Nicholas speaks with neuroethicist and legal scholar Nita Farahany about AI's impact on human cognition. Featured Guest: Nita Farahany, Robinson O…
Ethical Machines - with Nicholas Thompson and Audrey Tang [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:31
In the right hands, AI can strengthen human collaboration and civic engagement. In this episode, Nicholas speaks with Taiwanese politician and programmer Audrey Tang about how the technology can be used to enhance democr…
A Different Approach to AI - with Nicholas Thompson and Gary Marcus [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 44:01
Despite the rapid advancements, today’s LLMs are far from infallible. In this episode, Nicholas speaks with author, cognitive scientist, and entrepreneur Gary Marcus, about the ways in which current AI models fall short,…
Season 2 Trailer [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:26
A podcast series examining how AI is reshaping our world. Each episode features a conversation with a leading thinker who offers a fresh perspective on the far-reaching ethical, economic, and social implications of this…
Drawing with Robots  - with Nicholas Thompson and Sougwen Chung [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:47
While many in the creative world approach AI with hesitation or fear, others embrace it as a collaborator, using it to expand the possibilities of artistic expression. This episode examines how AI is reshaping creativity…
Incremental vs. Exponential - with Nicholas Thompson and Andrew Ng [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:04
AI is advancing at an unprecedented pace. Some experts are convinced that the world as we know it will change dramatically, while others anticipate a more steady evolution. This episode dives into the debate, separating…
Staying Competitive - with Nicholas Thompson and Dan Priest [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:03
AI is no longer just a tool for experimentation—it’s becoming a foundational technology that’s reshaping how businesses operate. This episode describes how companies are embedding AI into their products and services, exp…
Deepfakes and Deception - with Nicholas Thompson and Eva Galperin [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 25:18
From voice-cloning scams to the creation of non-consensual nude imagery, the malevolent use of artificial intelligence poses myriad risks to truth, privacy, and personal safety. Cybersecurity expert Eva Galperin discusse…
Machine Consciousness - with Nicholas Thompson and Geoffrey Hinton [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:30
What if the most advanced AI models could think and respond in a way that felt like a human consciousness? How might that transform our understanding of intelligence itself? Some of the leading AI scientists believe that…