Artificial intelligence is reshaping the entry-level job market, pushing companies to hire fewer recent college graduates and automate tasks once seen as essential stepping stones, The Wall Street Journal writes.
Employers like consulting firm Futurety say junior roles are increasingly being filled by AI, while others, like Ford’s CEO, predict AI could replace half of white-collar jobs. Entry-level hiring has dropped sharply—down 50% since 2019 at major tech firms—while competition for internships and job postings has intensified.
The shift threatens to upend the traditional workforce pipeline, where young hires learned on the job through gruntwork. Now, companies must rethink how to train and mentor staff in a world where AI handles many of those learning opportunities.
Some firms, like Carlyle and Williams, are introducing onboarding programs and AI literacy training to fill the gap. Still, the transition is messy. Executives say today’s graduates need stronger critical thinking and AI fluency to compete—skills not all schools are yet teaching.