Welcome to the Future – The Gen Z + AI Mischievous Alliance
By Kai Turner
Gen Z and AI — partners in a future that may redefine work, productivity, and the systems we invest in today
I’m Kai Turner
As a 38-year-old Millennial, I overthink everything. I overanalyze, do my research, and contemplate the future way too often.
As I watched an old PBS publication that spoke about the gamble of retirement, I thought a lot about things.
These days, index funds seem like a logically bulletproof way to retire if you start early, invest regularly, and don’t withdraw until retirement.
But wait — what if I’m missing something? Because employees who had their retirement funds in company stocks at the same employer they worked for thought they were doing everything right too… until it all fell apart in 2000, and again in 2008. I wouldn’t make the same mistake, right?
So I took a long, hard look at the bigger picture. What are the risks? I’d love to retire with 6, 7 million in the bank, but I need to consider all angles — including those pesky Gen Z kids. Why, you ask?
A Millennial perspective, thinking through how today’s investments meet tomorrow’s world.
Well, here’s how I see it.
Investing for the long term with S&P 500 index funds is a great strategy. But if we consider any possible downfalls, what could they be…?
For stocks to grow long term, you need:
• People working
• Producing
• Consuming
• Innovating
• Paying taxes
• Contributing to retirement systems
If an entire generation opted out, yes — that would be a problem.
Hmmm…
With the world of AI and worker mentality the way it is, the human worker seems to be at risk of getting squeezed out as AI takes over. Would Gen Z fight for their right to work? It’s not a comforting thought.
Could the regularity of AI, combined with the lack of motivation to work a 9–5, mean that in the future there isn’t as much of a workforce to contribute to the market, delay gratification, and save for retirement? What if universal basic income comes into play?
I personally wouldn’t want to spend my better years working for retirement just for the world to shift the whole system away from what I’ve been working toward.
I mean, look at how inflation has already moved the goalposts in our current times.
As a Millennial, we are in the driver’s seat of this economy right now, and we don’t always like what we see.
As always, it’s important to stay grounded and focus on health, family, and wellness. Life’s too short to contemplate a possible future that lets us down. We’ve had too many disappointments already as a generation.
These are just my thoughts running wild.
I will continue to invest in my future with index funds and stay optimistic.
But all of this got me thinking.
What does Gen Z truly value?
Will it be strong enough to keep the momentum of innovation, investment, and long-term growth moving forward?
What changes can we expect along the way?
None of us has a crystal ball. But one thing is certain — the world keeps moving, and humanity always finds a way to adapt.
What do you see when you think about the future?
A Simple Way to Think Long-Term in a Fast-Moving World
When the future feels uncertain — with AI, shifting work culture, inflation, and changing systems — sometimes the most powerful tool isn’t another app or chart.
It’s a quiet place to think.
One thing that’s helped me is keeping a physical journal to map out long-term goals, financial ideas, and the bigger questions about where the world is heading.
Writing slows the mind down in a good way. It creates space to think in decades instead of days.
I’ve linked a simple, high-quality leather journal below for anyone who, like me, likes to step back from the noise and reflect on where they’re going.
I’m Kai Turner.
I usually write about health and wellness in a practical, grounded way, but this is a new style of article I’m experimenting with.
I’d love to hear what you think.
By Kai Turner