Original Source
AI Expansion Leads to Decline in Junior Hiring, Companies Favor Mid-Level Workers
AI Poses Challenges for Young Job Seekers
Recent corporate surveys indicate that CEOs plan to significantly cut junior roles over the next two years, shifting their focus to hiring for mid-level positions. Last year, the job market for early-career workers aged 22 to 27 noticeably deteriorated, with Federal Reserve (Fed) Chair Jerome Powell citing artificial intelligence (AI) as a contributing factor. The analysis suggests that AI assistants are automating tasks previously performed by recent graduates, thereby reducing their employment opportunities.
CEOs' Shifting Hiring Strategies and AI's Impact
A global CEO survey by consulting firm Oliver Wyman revealed that the percentage of CEOs planning to reduce junior roles in the next one to two years more than doubled from 17% last year to 43%. Conversely, only 17% of CEOs stated they would focus on hiring for junior positions. Instead, approximately 30% of respondents reported shifting their hiring towards more mid-level roles, a significant increase from 10% last year. The report attributes this change to the proliferation of AI technology. As AI is most effective at automating tasks typically performed by early-career workers, this demographic is particularly vulnerable to AI-driven cost-cutting initiatives.
*Source: Gizmodo (2026-05-17)*
Related Articles
📧 Daily Newsletter
Get the daily global news briefing in your inbox every morning.
It's still free.