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September 16, 2025

Today, AI is displacing beginners in the labor space with urgency, but let’s start with how the younger generation is now using collectibles as a currency…

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Collectibles Are the New Cultural Currency for Gen Z

CBX Vibe

Gen Zs are often touted as the generation invested in the wrong things but they're proving us all wrong with their interests. This group is embracing aged wine, antique watches and more collectibles. They appreciate a luxury classic handbag and it's easy to see why. It could be nostalgia, it could be a new interest but the numbers show that 94% of millennials and Gen Zs want to have their little corner of collectibles. 

How Automation Is Erasing Entry Level Opportunities Across Industries

CBX Vibe:

For today’s graduates, the first rung on the career ladder is starting to look like quicksand. The traditional entry-level job, once the bridge between school and the professional world, is rapidly disappearing. Artificial intelligence, automation, and cost-cutting have converged to reshape the job market, and young workers are paying the price. A Stanford study found that employment for workers aged 22 to 25 in AI-exposed fields like software development and customer service has dropped by about 13%, while older, more experienced workers have remained insulated. 

AI Isn't Killing Jobs But It's Creating Them at Startups

CBX Vibe:

Despite fears that artificial intelligence will replace workers, some businesses using the technology are doing the opposite. A recent Mercury survey of 1,500 early-stage entrepreneurs found that 68% of AI adopters are expanding their teams, even as two-thirds of startups report higher-than-expected costs in operations, sales and marketing. Overall, 79% of founders said they plan to increase spending in the year ahead — underscoring resilience and a shift in how AI is shaping growth, Mercury reports. 

Can Buy Now, Pay Later Improve Financial Inclusion Through Credit?

CBX Vibe:

With the rising cost of goods, people may feel that Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) plans can help them buy products they need. Black (46%) and Hispanic/Latino (56%) communities have adopted using BNPL platforms at higher rates within the last year. Though most make their payments on time, the majority of people who use BNPL plans are in debt. Although these plans boast being able to help individuals raise their credit scores, many users do not access these plans for this feature. 

Africa’s Tech Awakening To Power The Next Silicon Valley

CBX Vibe:

Africa is in the midst of a digital renaissance across the continent, startups are springing up in fintech, ecommerce, logistics, and healthtech to solve real local problems. African startups collectively secured $1.35 billion in funding during the first half of 2025, a 78% surge from the $800 million raised in the same period last year, Bloomberg reported, and countries like Nigeria, Kenya, and South Africa are quickly becoming innovation powerhouses.

Vibes of the Week

Collectibles are no longer “Imaginary Playerz” for Gen Z, as Cardi B expounds in our CBX Vibes!