DON’T DO THIS.

“I was shocked. I didn’t get a single journalist to tell me that this is a career worth pursuing.”

After years spent getting an undergraduate and graduate degree in English, with her sites set on being a journalist, Chloe Frantzis was told by everyone in the field that journalism is a dead-end career. Putting aside what that means for the current state and future of journalism, it was demoralizing to find out that her career aspirations weren’t going to work out as planned.

“The first time my best friend ever saw me cry was because of AI.”

In this Lead The Machine episode, Chloe shares what it felt like to have her dream career disrupted as she realized how quickly AI was reshaping the creative world she hoped to join.

The story doesn’t end there. Rather than cower away, Chloe embraced learning AI and used this new knowledge to rebuild her career path. Today, she works at BoxMedia.IO in London, helping make AI-generated content sound human again.

Are we shortchanging what Gen Z brings to the table?

Chloe shares a message every leader should hear about Gen Z and the future of work.

“People think we’re lazy or glued to our phones,” she told me. “But I’ve seen older adults’ way more glued to theirs. We actually crave work, structure, and collaboration. We grew up with volatility — the iPhone, social media, AI — so we’re not afraid of change. We expect it.”

Chloe believes her generation is built for what’s next. Having witnessed constant disruption, Gen Z doesn’t fear transformation. Rather, they anticipate it, adapt to it, and want to shape it.

We talk about rejection, reinvention, and how Gen Z is redefining creativity and resilience in the AI era.

Chloe’s story is a reminder that adaptability isn’t just a skill, it’s survival.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit leadthemachine.substack.com