Reflections from a Scholar: From AI Anxiety to Opportunity

As a STEM student in 2025, I think it’s safe to say that the biggest tool and threat of today is Artificial Intelligence. Everyday, we learn about new breakthroughs in the use of AI, while simultaneously hearing about jobs being replaced by AI. It’s no wonder many students are anxious about if their job will even exist in the future, and what that means for them now. I, until recently, was one of those students.

Before, AI was just another obstacle in the face of my dreams, but after visiting Panasonic with my fellow Governor’s STEM Scholars, I realized that what had bothered me for so long was actually created to do the exact opposite, and I want to spread the word to many other concerned students like me.

No job is without menial office tasks, and it can get annoying to lose out on time doing these. As Greg Bagliore, Sr. Manager IT Service Delivery of Panasonic North America, discussed, that’s where Agentic AI comes in. I learned that by adapting to your work style and completing basic tasks for you, Agentic AI gives you more time to work on your projects, which actually need human input, letting you utilize your skillset and be more productive.

Also, another fear I had was my potential future job being replaced. However I learned from Mr. Bagliore that if a job does have a real risk of being replaced by AI, similar jobs in the field will arise. When the internet was created, many jobs around cybersecurity, programming, and related fields were created, while past manual jobs were replaced. Now, with the rise of AI, new jobs related to AI in multiple fields will be in demand, allowing people to still pursue their passions.

So while the future of AI is still unknown, I learned that it’s important to emphasize the good it can bring to us. Don’t regard it as an obstacle, but instead see it as an asset.

Written by Iona Nandy, 2026 Scholar Iona Nandy is a sophomore at the Union County Academy for Allied Health Sciences. She has conducted independent research on the impact of exergaming on the cognitive function of adults with dementia. She is a Devil’s Youth Ambassador, a member of Stanford University’s Neuroscience Journal Club, and co-president of the New Jersey Chapter of Readability, which promotes literacy for neurodivergent youth. She also contributes to the nonprofit Marks Over Mind, advocating for student mental health. At school, Iona is co-fundraising chair of Relay for Life and participates in HOSA, Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA), and Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA). She is also working to establish a Model United Nations club. Beyond STEM, she teaches younger children at Kumon, volunteers at a local hospital, dances at her studio, and plays tennis on the junior varsity team.