This report by the Institute for the Future of Work, in partnership with the EY Foundation, explores the intersection between the impact of three diverse but related areas: (1) AI and automation’s impact on work and skills; (2) motivation among young people; and (3) the experience of having a low-income background. The research shows that across occupations and sectors, AI and automation are raising demand for, and the importance of, human-centric skills such as creativity, problem-solving, collaboration and initiative. It highlights that intrinsic motivation is a key enabler of the development of these human-centric skills and helping those from low-income backgrounds get better work in an age of AI labour market disruption.