Welcome to Learning Leaders, a space where I share insights on cross-cultural learning and leadership. My name is Tim, and I’ve lived in Japan for over 30 years, spending the past two decades advancing my career in Learning & Development.
This graduating class feels different.
For the first time, AI has become a part of how university students study, prepare for interviews, and imagine their working lives. The Class of 2026 may be the first cohort making career decisions with the clear understanding that AI will be part of their daily work, no matter what industry they are interested in pursuing.
Recent surveys from the U.S. and Japan give us a useful window into how students are approaching this moment. I’m referencing the Handshake Big Dreams, Bigger Challenges Survey from the U.S. and the Mynavi 2026 Graduation College Student Career Intentions Survey (April) <Job Hunting/Career Decisions> survey taken in Japan.
How new grads in Japan and the US are using AI today
In both countries, roughly eight in ten students say they are already using AI. U.S. students tend to use AI as a thinking partner. Brainstorming ideas, teaching themselves unfamiliar topics, organizing research, and improving how they learn. Many are increasingly highlighting AI experience on their resumes. At the same time, a large number feel uneasy about the future. Concerns about job availability and long-term career stability show up repeatedly, with AI often cited as one contributing factor.
Japanese students are also highly active users of AI, though their focus is slightly different. AI is used heavily to refine company entry sheets, structure self-analysis, and prepare for interviews. They see how they can be more efficient and increase the quality of their work by utilizing AI. Students talk openly about saving time and producing better work.
Where Japanese students become cautious is around judgment. Many are comfortable using AI to support their own work, but they react strongly when AI enters the evaluation side of hiring. Specifically how AI is used for interview assessments and personality judgments are areas where students clearly want human involvement.
Different concerns, shared pressure
What stands out is not a gap in ability or curiosity.
Students in both countries are experimenting thoughtfully. They think about how to use AI, when to use it, and when not to. They worry about becoming overly dependent. They also worry about fairness and about choosing career paths that may change faster than expected.
What they share is pressure.
This may be the first year where students feel they are choosing careers while the ground is actively shifting under their feet. Not only are they preparing for a career, but they are also preparing for work that will evolve alongside AI, often faster than organizations themselves.
A question for managers
If AI is now mainstream for new grads, where do you draw the line in terms of usage? What do you expect from new hires today? Do you want them to be AI-savvy and fully leverage it from day one? Do you expect them to use AI to handle repetitive tasks, documentation, and preparation? Where does human judgment, creativity, and accountability begin for you?
Many students are already making assumptions about what employers value. Some assume speed matters most (US). Others assume polish (Japan). Others worry that using AI too openly might backfire. How will you lead your team members through this massive shift? I am really curious to hear where you will draw the line or how you will adopt AI tech into your teams.
