More than six in 10 students globally believe Artificial Intelligence (AI) will create more career opportunities than it eliminates, reflecting growing optimism among young people about the technology’s potential to reshape the future of work, according to a new HP report.
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The HP Futures 2026 report, based on a survey of 6,206 students across 37 countries, found that 61 percent of respondents expect AI to expand employment opportunities, suggesting that young people increasingly view the technology as an opportunity rather than a threat to their future careers.
The optimism comes as artificial intelligence rapidly transforms workplace requirements, automates tasks and changes the skills employers seek, raising questions about how education systems can prepare the next generation for an evolving labour market.
The report also found that 80 percent of students were confident in their ability to use AI effectively, while 81 percent believed their education was preparing them for the workplace.
However, their optimism about AI’s employment potential comes with concerns about its implications for learning. More than eight in 10 students, 82 percent, worry that although AI helps them complete tasks faster, they do not understand or learn the material as deeply.
The findings highlight a growing tension in how young people are adapting to artificial intelligence. While they recognise its potential to create new career opportunities, they are also concerned about becoming overly dependent on tools that could weaken their ability to develop essential knowledge and skills.
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Their learning preferences reinforce this concern. Nearly half of respondents, representing 49 percent, said they preferred methods involving printed materials or handwritten notes when trying to retain information, compared with just 18 percent who selected AI-generated summaries.
The report also identified creativity and critical thinking as the most important capabilities students believe they will need in the future job market.
Both skills ranked highest, with 56 percent of respondents identifying creativity and another 56 percent selecting critical thinking. Communication and collaboration followed at 52 percent, while AI and digital literacy attracted 44 percent.
Technical and coding skills ranked eighth, with only 29 percent of students identifying them among the most important capabilities for future employment.
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The findings suggest that students recognise that succeeding in an AI-driven economy will require more than technical proficiency, with human-centred capabilities remaining important even as businesses increasingly integrate automation into their operations.
David McQuarrie, chief commercial officer at HP and chair of HP Futures, said educators, policymakers and employers share responsibility for preparing young people for the opportunities and challenges they will encounter throughout their careers.
“As artificial intelligence rapidly transforms how we learn and work, that responsibility has never been more important,” he said.
He added that education systems must do more to help students develop, demonstrate and continuously strengthen capabilities that will remain valuable regardless of how technology evolves.
Mayank Dhingra, director and global head of education business and strategy at HP, said the report provides an important insight into how young people perceive AI’s impact on their thinking, lives and employment prospects.
He noted that students’ concerns about learning less deeply despite becoming more efficient with AI tools should feature prominently in decisions about future curricula and assessment models.
The report called on policymakers to establish clear frameworks for integrating transferable human skills into education systems, while keeping literacy, numeracy and foundational learning at the centre of curricula.
It also recommended greater support for educators, who remain central to helping students develop creativity, critical thinking, communication and collaboration skills.
The HP Futures report was developed by HP, the Global Learning Council and the Education Leaders Forum. Its online survey was conducted between May and June 2026, receiving 6,206 responses from students across 37 countries. About 88 percent of respondents who disclosed their ages were between 12 and 17.
The research also incorporated roundtable discussions and interviews with 58 education, policymaking, and future-of-work experts globally.
Faith Omoboye is a foreign affairs correspondent with background in History and International relations. Her work focuses on African politics, diplomacy, and global governance.
