"Guys" (without a "the" in front of it) is uncontroversially gender-neutral in most contexts in at least some parts of the US. I'm not sure whether folks worried about it are from places where it's definitely not, or places where it's not used much at all so they're not aware that it's a non-issue in (at least many) places where it is.

I do prefer "y'all", though. I think it's the best one we've got, of the options ("yous" being another big one, and ew, gross)

I also love the nuance of "y'all" and "all y'all".