• Billionaire LinkedIn cofounder Reid Hoffman admits Gen Z college graduates are joining the workforce at a rough time, thanks to a predicted entry-level job “bloodbath.” But instead of succumbing to the AI overlords, he encourages young people to move beyond vibe coding and prompt engineering—and instead prioritize human skills like intention. Those who do, he says, “will emerge as winners in an AI-mediated world.”

For Gen Z college graduates this year, walking across the stage comes with more than just a diploma—it’s bringing a sense of dread about the future.

AI is completely disrupting the college-to-career pipeline, so much so that Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei is predicting half of all entry-level white-collar jobs could disappear—and federal data backs up a decline in the recent college graduate job market. 

The problem is so existential that it’s leaving the most inspirational minds at a loss; as LinkedIn cofounder Reid Hoffman put it recently, “even the most inspirational advice lands like a Band-Aid on a bullet wound.”

However, despite a predicted AI white-collar “bloodbath,” not all is lost, and young people in particular have one advantage over their senior leaders: They know a thing or two about adapting to technology. After all, one in three college students already admits to using ChatGPT. 

“I urge you not to think in terms of AI-proofing your career,” Hoffman encouraged Gen Z graduates in an op-ed for the San Francisco Standard. “Instead, AI-optimize it. Take advantage. AI is a tool you can master.”

Finding success in an AI future will require more than just learning to prompt-engineer or vibe-code. It means understanding how technology is revolutionizing workflows and business models: “The more you understand what employers are hiring for, and the reasons why, the more you’ll understand how you can get ahead in this new world,” Hoffman wrote.

Fortune reached out to Hoffman for comment.

How to become a winner in an AI-powered world

With AI models improving by the day, it’s becoming more important than ever to identify which skills will matter most in the future.

Four skills in particular will soon be the most valuable to master, Hoffman said—ones that AI cannot replicate: 

• Emotional intelligence
• Ethical discernment
• Creative expression
• Intention 

“People with the capacity to form intentions and set goals will emerge as winners in an AI-mediated world,” he said, while adding that those who take advantage of AI will come out on top.

“While evidence suggests it’s getting harder to find a first job, it has never been easier to create a first opportunity,” he added. “Since billions of people have access to the same tools and platforms and information you do, the competition will be intense. But it always has been for the best jobs.”

And while recent grads may feel like climbing the career ladder is impossible without entry-level experience, Hoffman encouraged Gen Z to get entrepreneurial and use AI as a tool to create their own opportunities.

“Try lots of things,” he concluded. “Instead of making five-year plans, consider six-month experiments. With the right tools, you can now do what used to require teams: create content and brands, generate and test marketing campaigns, write code, and design products.”

The growing importance of connections in an AI world

While it may be tempting to view AI chatbots as newfound friends, Hoffman warned against ignoring the power of in-person networks in an AI future. In fact, he called building friendship in business one of “humanity’s greatest superpowers.”

“Friendship is one of humanity’s oldest technologies. Long before we had corporations, capital markets, or even written language, we had alliances rooted in trust,” Hoffman wrote on X.

As the cofounder of LinkedIn, the platform that has arguably brought networking into the 21st century, it may come as no surprise that Hoffman believes reconnecting with humans is what will keep you grounded. But it’s especially true, he said, in an era of abundant efficiency and diminishing empathy.

“These human networks of trust don’t scale like AI, which means your network is more valuable than ever.”

This story was originally featured on Fortune.com

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• Billionaire Mark Cuban isn’t a believer in taking a day off if you’re serious about building a business. The former Shark Tank star admitted that the secret to success is outperforming your competition and with it comes the expectation that somebody else is working 24 hours a day to “kick your ass.” Cuban adds that he looks to Warren Buffett’s grind for inspiration.

Gen Z may be known as the FOMO generation—driven by fear of missing out on parties, trends, or social movements. But for business leaders, FOMO takes on higher stakes: It’s the fear of missing the next big innovation or investment opportunity.

That pressure to stay ahead is a driving force of motivation for billionaire Mark Cuban, so much so that he said work-life balance isn’t achievable for those on the grind to success.

“There is no balance,” Cuban said on “The Playbook,” a series from Sports Illustrated bringing together athletes and business leaders.

“If you want to work nine-to-five, you can have work-life balance,” he told Dallas Cowboys’ Micah Parsons. “If you want to crush the game, whatever game you’re in, there’s somebody working 24 hours a day to kick your ass.”

The former Shark Tank star knows a thing or two about finding success the hard way. After all, he recently admitted he didn’t take a vacation and lived with five roommates when he first started out in entrepreneurship. 

All roads lead to Warren Buffett

Cuban’s grind begins each morning by reading and answering messages on his phone or laptop, something that takes between eight and 10 hours of his day, he recently told People. 

Despite having over $8 billion to his name as an investor in hundreds of companies, there’s no sign Cuban is slowing down his embrace of the hustle culture. In fact, the 66-year-old just launched a new $750 million sports-focused private equity fund.

And his inspiration for still grinding while others start thinking about their retirement plans comes from Warren Buffett—who at 94 years old only just announced plans to step back as CEO of Berkshire Hathaway.

“I want to see what he’s going to do next,” Cuban said. “That’s the way I look at things. I’ve accomplished a lot in my life, I want to change health care, but that’s not the end-all, be-all.”

Other leaders like Apple CEO Tim Cook and JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon have also sung the Berkshire Hathaway founder’s praises. But what might truly differentiate Buffett from all others is that his work-life balance is reportedly relatively healthy. He avoids technology, has minimal meetings, and gets plenty of rest.

“I’ve created a good environment,” Buffett told the Wall Street Journal. “All I have to do is think and not be influenced by others.” 

Fortune reached out to Cuban for comment.

CEOs and presidents agree: Work-life balance isn’t always achievable

Cuban is far from the first leader to have strong feelings about work-life balance. In fact, former President Barack Obama weighed in on the work-life debate earlier this year, admitting that finding balance isn’t possible while seeking excellence.

“If you want to be excellent at anything—sports, music, business, politics—there’s going to be times in your life when you’re out of balance, where you’re just working and you’re single-minded,” Obama admitted on The Pivot Podcast.

Moreover, for Zoom’s CEO, Eric Yuan, whose company has arguably blurred the boundaries between work and life by making it easier than ever to work from literally anywhere, “There’s no way to balance. Work is life, life is work.”

But there’s one exception for Yuan: “Whenever there’s a conflict, guess what? Family first. That’s it.”

This story was originally featured on Fortune.com

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• Despite competing for consumers’ eating-out budgets, Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol and Chipotle CEO Scott Boatwright spend most mornings together in the gym. In between sets, they discuss the latest trends, like AI and the protein craze, while also kindling a friendship—something some business leaders say can be a struggle.

At 5 a.m., before most of their customers have even ordered their first latte or burrito bowl, Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol and Chipotle CEO Scott Boatwright are already side by side—spotting each other on the weight rack.

Despite running rival fast-casual empires, the two millionaire bosses start most mornings in the gym together, debating trends like AI, protein-packed menus, and getting fresh perspectives on each other’s business ideas, like Chipotle’s guacamole-making robots.

“I was actually in the gym with (Niccol) just this morning, talking about what’s going on at Starbucks, sharing some thoughts around what’s happening at Chipotle,” Boatwright recently revealed at Fortune’s COO summit. Although the CEOs didn’t reveal their preferred workout routine, Niccol has previously told Fortune that he alternates between strength training, weight lifting, and a “run-slash-walk.”

Of course, the two gym-going executives weren’t always competing for consumers’ dining budgets: Their relationship first blossomed in 2018 when Niccol was tapped to serve as chief executive of the burrito brand, with Boatwright serving as his right-hand man as chief operating officer. 

“Brian and I made a great tag-team because I was effectively running the business,” Boatwright added. “I think I ran a pretty good business, and I know that Brian really managed a great stock.”

Their paths diverged when Niccol was tapped to lead Starbucks’ and Boatwright was promoted to take his place. “Don’t screw it up,” Boatwright recalled the advice shared by his bench press spotter.

And it’s a reminder that even at the very top, having a friend you can turn to for career advice still matters. 

Fortune reached out to Niccol and Boatwright for further comment.

Keep your friends close at the top of the corporate ladder

Not many business leaders can say they live in the same neighborhood as Niccol and Boatwright and can network at the treadmill. Executives often face isolation in leadership roles, making close professional connections a practical asset.

No business relationship may be better known than billionaire Warren Buffett’s close connection with Charlie Munger. In fact, the Berkshire Hathaway founder has said that his relationship with Munger was critical to both of their success.

“Every time I’m with Charlie, I’ve got at least some new slant on an idea that causes me to rethink certain things,” Buffett said to CNBC. “We’ve had so much fun in the partnership over the years.”

However, maintaining effective relationships is not easy. Brian Chesky, founder and CEO of Airbnb, recently revealed he sought out the advice from former President Barack Obama on how to better be a more effective leader.

“I think the vast majority of people, if they reach out to someone, someone will want to help them,” he said on Michelle Obama’s podcast IMO. “They reach out to an old friend, the old friend will want to reach back out to them, and that is the path for reconnection. It’s a path for relationships, and it’s a path for purpose.”

Exercise: CEOs’ key to maintaining health at the top

Beyond having friendships, free time is one of the things many leaders would likely say they wish they had more of. But for leaders like Niccol and Boatwright, carving out time to exercise is essential—not just for health, but as a key driver of their success.

For Airbnb’s Chesky, two workouts are sometimes part of his routine. The former competitive bodybuilder begins each morning around 8:30 a.m. with light cardio—either on the StairMaster or walking his dog through his hilly neighborhood—before starting work, he told Fortune. 

Then, around 7:30 p.m., he works out again with a personal trainer. But above all, he said getting sleep is the biggest health practice he prioritizes.

“[A] non-negotiable is I want to try to get at least seven hours of sleep,” he said. “I know there are people that go off four, five, even six hours of sleep, but the extra hour you save by not sleeping probably makes every hour the next day a little less productive.”

Despite being in his 70s, Disney CEO Bob Iger starts his day early—at 4 a.m. He uses the time to get in a workout, something he said helps maintain the energy to run one of the largest entertainment companies in the world.

“Staying in shape and having stamina is critical for me—that’s eating well and exercising,” Iger told the In Good Company podcast last year. “Just taking care of my body and my mind is really important, I could not do this job if I were not in some form of physical and mental health.”

This story was originally featured on Fortune.com

© KRISTY WALKE—FORTUNE