Digital Literacy for Professionals

If you were born after 1990, you’ve probably been told you’re a “digital native.”

In the age of AI, that label might be one of the most dangerous myths we cling to.

In my new article I unpack why “digital nativeness” ≠ digital literacy, why AI is hitting junior roles first, and what it really means to build skills that keep you relevant.

A few highlights + reflections:

𝟭) 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝘀𝗻’𝘁 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗶𝘀𝗲

Growing up with smartphones and social media doesn’t mean you understand technology deeply. Research has been dismantling the “digital native” myth for years. Comfort with apps is not the same as critical, technical or strategic skill.

𝟮) 𝗔𝗜 𝗶𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝘄𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗷𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗼𝗿 𝗿𝗼𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁

Generative AI is reshaping and automating entry-level work much faster than senior roles. You can refuse to use AI or even “sabotage” it, but that won’t stop adoption. It just leaves you less prepared.

𝟯) 𝗟𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘆 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗱𝘃𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗲

Digital literacy in the AI era means understanding where AI is strong and weak, questioning outputs, redesigning workflows, and orchestrating humans + machines as one system. You don’t have to be an ML engineer, but you do have to be intentional (and this is true for younger and older ones)

𝟰) 𝗙𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗽𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝘂𝘀𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗼 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗲𝗿

“Good with tech” used to mean you could figure out new apps. That’s baseline now. What matters is whether you keep learning faster than your environment changes – reading, experimenting, breaking things safely, asking better questions.

My message to younger (and not-so-young) professionals is simple: Digital literacy is not self-executing. It is something you build, on purpose.

Curious: how are you (or your organization) helping early-career talent move from digital nativeness to real digital literacy in the age of AI?