Generative AI is changing work fast, but it isn’t changing everyone’s future equally.

What the Article Actually Says

Deng and Sun (2026) found that first-generation college students (FGCSs) were more concerned than non-FGCSs about AI’s impact on their careers, and that prior ChatGPT experience was associated with less concern. They also found that career anchor alone didn’t explain AI concern, which suggests that identity and motivation matter, but they don’t cancel out the effects of structural change.

The study’s qualitative findings showed that employed FGCSs often see college as a way to change careers, advance, or prepare for entrepreneurship, while unemployed students are more likely to make career choices based on interest and passion. In the follow-up study, respondents described four attitudes toward AI—negative, neutral, positive, and mixed—and the researchers concluded that AI attitudes vary by generational status and employment stage, which supports more tailored career support.

AI Is Changing Careers. FGPs Need Fluency.

For first-generation female professionals (FGPs), AI can feel like both an opportunity and a warning sign. Deng and Sun’s 2026 study found that first-generation college students (FGCSs) were more worried than their non-FGCS peers about AI’s impact on their careers, and that students with prior ChatGPT experience were less worried than those without it (Deng & Sun, 2026). That matters because fear is expensive. It can make you hesitate, overcorrect, or stay too long in roles that no longer fit where the market is going.

AI anxiety isn’t simply about personality or ambition. It’s shaped by access, exposure, and career stage (Deng & Sun, 2026). The researchers found that FGCS status was positively associated with concern about AI’s career impact, but career anchor wasn’t a significant predictor, which means your values alone won’t protect you from labor-market disruption. The good news is that hands-on exposure to AI tools seems to lower concern, suggesting that familiarity can replace some of the uncertainty with practical confidence.

That’s a useful insight for FGPs, especially if you’re juggling work, family, and the constant pressure to prove yourself. You don’t need to become an AI engineer. But you do need enough AI fluency to understand how these tools affect your field, your role, and your next move.

What This Means for You, Right Now

The study’s qualitative findings are especially relevant for women navigating the middle of their careers. Employed FGCSs often used college as a bridge to change careers, advance, or prepare for entrepreneurship, while many unemployed students made choices based on passion and interest (Deng & Sun, 2026). In plain terms: education was not just about credentials. It was a mobility strategy. That’s a powerful reminder for FGPs who may already have a degree, a few promotions, or even decades of experience, but still need new skills to keep moving.

The follow-up study adds another layer. Participants described four attitudes toward AI—negative, neutral, positive, and mixed—and those attitudes varied by generational status and whether the person was employed or not (Deng & Sun, 2026). That tells us something important: people don’t experience AI the same way. If you’re employed and trying to grow, AI may feel like a tool for leverage. If you’re unemployed or underemployed, it may feel like a threat to the little access you already have. Both reactions are rational.

Why This Matters for FGPs (First-Gen Female Professionals)

So what should FGPs do with this?

Start with fluency, not fluency theater. Pick one AI tool that appears in your work—whether it’s for writing, research, planning, analysis, or project management—and learn what it can do well, where it fails, and how it might change your job. Then use that knowledge in one concrete career move: a smarter workflow, a stronger interview answer, or a clearer ask for stretch work.

Second, don’t treat AI as separate from your career story. If your path has already involved reinvention, you’re probably better prepared than you think. The study shows that many FGCSs are already using education to move, pivot, and build. That’s not a detour. That’s resilience with strategy.

Last, remember that the goal isn’t just survival. It’s positioning. When you understand the technology shaping your field, you’re less likely to be sidelined by it—and more likely to lead through it.

Your Next Step

Spend 20 minutes this week learning how one AI tool could affect your role. Then identify one skill you can build to stay ahead of that shift.

Sources

Deng, X., & Sun, R. (2026). Artificial intelligence and career development: Concerns and insights from first-generation college students. International Journal of Information Management, 87, 103003. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijinfomgt.2025.103003