Forget work-life balance: Gen Z say their top priority is actually career growth, with 93% aspiring for the C-suite

Fortune · 21

A KPMG survey of over 900 summer interns found that 93% of Gen Z workers aspire to reach the C-suite, with career growth ranked as their top priority ahead of work-life balance and salary. The survey revealed that 76% believe long-term success requires both strong human skills and the ability to direct AI agents, while 40% worry that overreliance on AI could weaken critical thinking. Gen Z appears focused on developing irreplaceable human skills like critical thinking and communication rather than depending heavily on AI, recognizing these as competitive advantages in an AI-driven workplace.