Hrishikesh Gopal Tawade, Gen Z, AI, and Careers: Automation’s Impact on Work and Skills
Author(s): Scott Douglas Jacobsen
Publication (Outlet/Website): The Good Men Project
Publication Date (yyyy/mm/dd): 2026/01/05
Hrishikesh Gopal Tawade is a senior robotics and computer-vision engineer at the Toyota Research Institute, where he helps scale AI-driven robotics across Toyota’s global manufacturing ecosystem. His work focuses on advanced perception, safety, and multi-robot intelligence in production environments. Previously, at Ample Inc., he led multi-robot coordination and EV battery-swap automation, cutting swap times and improving fleet reliability across deployments in the United States, Japan, and Europe. He has also strengthened perception pipelines at a LiDAR company during its IPO transition and earlier built cost-efficient factory automation systems in India. He mentors founders on robotics product strategy, prototyping, and scale-up.
In this interview, Scott Douglas Jacobsen speaks with Hrishikesh Gopal Tawade, a senior robotics and computer-vision engineer, about how automation and AI are reshaping Gen Z career paths. Tawade explains that declining entry-level roles, economic uncertainty, and AI-driven efficiency have pushed many Gen Z workers toward trades, longer job tenure, and continuous upskilling. While AI is perceived as a threat to job security, Gen Z also embraces it as a force multiplier. Tawade highlights shifting hiring expectations, misconceptions about AI reliability, evolving learning methods, and the importance of domain expertise combined with human skills that remain difficult to automate.
Scott Douglas Jacobsen: How is the rise of automation and intelligent systems shaping Gen Z career aspirations?
Hrishikesh Gopal Tawade: There has been a 29% drop in entry-level openings across fields such as coding, consulting, law, marketing, and design [link, link]. However, we need to be mindful that this number is partly due to the advent of AI and partly due to a cooling economy. This has pushed Gen Z graduates to pursue blue-collar work. Also, trades are facing labour shortages, plus trade schools are faster and cheaper than 4-year degrees, which is why Gen Z find it easy to pivot as well. Forbes mentions this number could be around 37% [link]. Gen Z is proficient with AI, but there is constant pressure to upskill due to rapid advances in the field. Due to increasing insecurity in the market amid layoffs and an economic slowdown, “Job hugging” is emerging as a trend among Gen Z, who are valuing job security more than mobility.
Jacobsen: Are you seeing Gen Z candidates approach AI as a threat to job security?
Tawade: There is no doubt that Gen Z is entering one of the toughest labour markets in decades. They also understand that AI is only one part of a much bigger problem. Since the entry-level positions have significantly dropped due to AI and AI-related CapEx expenses, even the best candidates have fewer opportunities. Hence, Gen Z does see AI as a threat to getting a job and job security. But on the other hand, Gen Z has been the biggest embracer of AI and is the most AI-savvy generation. They see AI as a force multiplier and are focusing on learning it and upskilling. They are also considering staying in the same job for longer, since they perceive it as a means of job security.
Jacobsen: How has AI changed the skill sets you look for when hiring?
Tawade: Overall, in tech, there is a pressure to build more AI products, AI agents, and use AI for day-to-day work. Hence, generally, for a Machine learning engineer, we have started looking for fluency in LLM fundamentals, LLM training and deployment, and prompt engineering. For software engineers, it is expected to use AI code generators, code reviewers, etc., in their day-to-day work, but very, very few companies use them in coding interviews. The coding interviews for software engineers are still mainly LeetCode problems, system design questions, and presentations.
Jacobsen: How do Gen Z professionals differ in their expectations of the workplace?
Tawade: Gen Z expects a clear separation between professional and personal time, which is why they tend to prefer remote or hybrid work arrangements. They also value honest leadership and transparency around company goals. This generation is vocal about its needs and expects fair compensation for the time and effort invested. They do not hesitate to resign if they feel the remuneration does not justify their workload. Additionally, they expect clear visibility into their growth path and career progression.
Jacobsen: What misconceptions about AI and automation exist among recent graduates?
Tawade: The common misconceptions I see are
- “AI systems are 100% reliable and unbiased.”
- “Knowing one tool (e.g., ChatGPT/Copilot) is the same as understanding AI.”
- “Their own profession is immune to AI” is generally seen with healthcare and education graduates.
Jacobsen: How are AI tools and platforms influencing how coding is learned and simulation is engaged?
Tawade: Majorly, there is a shift from memorizing syntax to specifying intent and reviewing AI-generated code. Reading code is more important than writing code. Although most of the coding is still learned the old way, recent graduates are actively looking into solving bugs, creating unit tests and getting their code reviewed by various AI tools. But this has created a risk that students may become overly reliant on AI-generated code, potentially leading to a decline in independent problem-solving and analytical skills if not used properly.
Also, AI-driven tools and digital twins are enabling students to test their professional skills in simulations of varying complexity. This is especially in robotics/automation, where anyone can test their ideas at scale without owning hardware. The advantage of using AI is that it provides in-depth, real-time performance analytics and personalized feedback, which are often difficult to obtain in traditional human-led simulations.
Jacobsen: Will multi-robot systems or factory automation grow more for Gen Z in the manufacturing ecosystem?
Tawade: Both will grow, but multi-robot systems in logistics/warehousing and flexible cells will likely see the fastest expansion, while traditional factory automation continues to get more intelligent and more connected.
Jacobsen: Any advice for Gen Z professionals who want resilient careers alongside AI?
Tawade: they become excellent in a domain (manufacturing, finance, healthcare, etc.) and in using AI in that domain. Make sure you stay up to date with the latest advancements in AI and the tools for your field, and keep tinkering with them. Always remember that if you can create value for somebody, there is always a market for it. Focus on skills that are hard to automate, such as problem framing, cross-functional collaboration, leadership, and ethics. Keep a visible portfolio of projects that show you solving real problems with AI and AI agents.
Jacobsen: Thank you for the opportunity and your time, Hrishikesh.
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