How AI is taking over jobs: The impact on early career professionals

Since the emergence of ChatGPT, people have been concerned about the risk of AI taking over jobs. Given the rapid advances that generative AI has made in the past few years, that risk feels less like a distant possibility and more like an imminent reality.

One area of the labour market where we see particular concern about job displacement due to AI is in early careers. Graduates, apprentices, and interns are facing a tough job market this year, and some are declaring these entry-level roles ‘dead’ as AI becomes more frequently leveraged for mundane tasks.   

So, is AI taking over jobs?

There is some evidence to suggest that AI is having an impact on the job market for early talent. A study of 300,000 companies explored whether those who were more advanced at implementing AI showed decreased entry-level hiring, and found some evidence of a trend to this effect. However, it’s likely not occurring to the extent media reporting would have you believe. In a recent McKinsey study, two-thirds of organisations reported that they are in an early stage of AI deployment and have not begun to use it at scale. Therefore, it’s doubtful that many organisations have truly been able to replace headcount with AI.

While it’s true that hiring is down for graduate and other early career roles, AI is just one of a multitude of factors impacting this downturn. The key reason is the weakening global economy, causing organisations to reduce or limit headcount, or even to outsource to countries with more affordable workforces. It’s also important to recognise that the ability for AI to take over jobs varies a lot depending on the type of tasks typically performed in those roles. So, to say that AI is able to replace early career professionals overall is a major overstatement – but there are certain roles with more risk, such as software development and roles requiring a high level of mathematical skill.

The fear of AI taking opportunities from early talent may be driven by a few highly publicised examples of organisations purporting to significantly shift their talent strategy as a result of AI. However, even at Shopify – an extreme example of AI adoption where the CEO requires teams to prove they can’t accomplish their goals with AI before requesting headcount – entry‑level hiring is still rising. They are employing more early career workers than ever. In any case, it would not be a wise talent strategy as there are several key risks to replacing early talent with AI which include:

1. Limiting future talent pipelines

No one remains ‘early career’ forever. The purpose of hiring young talent into your organisation has never been solely to perform basic tasks. Hiring early career professionals fulfills a dual purpose of creating a steady pipeline of talent who will grow to take on more significant roles in the organisation like making strategic decisions, managing other employees, and defining the future direction of the business. While AI is likely to keep evolving, it’s unlikely that we’ll fully cede these types of responsibilities. In addition to this, given the declining population of many developed economies, the workforce is set to shrink in the coming years, creating strong competition for talent. and defining the future direction of the business. While AI is likely to keep evolving, it’s unlikely that we’ll fully cede these types of responsibilities. In addition to this, given the declining population of many developed economies, the workforce is set to shrink in the coming years, creating strong competition for talent.

2. Employee backlash against AI

AI backlash in the workplace has already begun with a 2025 survey showing that 31% of employees admit to refusing to use AI. When the fear of AI taking human jobs grows, that’s likely to escalate even further. To be able to fully leverage the benefits of AI for your organisation, you need employees to be willing to engage with it to make their work more efficient. If a substantial portion of workers decide not to engage and upskill in AI, the benefits are lost.

To fully realise the advantages of AI, organisations need to create an environment where humans and AI work together to produce optimal results.

3. Missing skillsets

Despite the current narrative of AI taking over jobs, most analyses conducted have provided clear evidence to suggest that over time, AI will create more jobs than it destroys. For example, the World Economic Forum predicts a net increase of 80 million jobs. However, those jobs will be different than those we are used to seeing and require unique skillsets.

We’re already seeing the first wave of this, with the job title prompt engineer rising rapidly before becoming more of an integrated part of broader AI roles as the technology evolves. While this means we will likely see a lot of fluctuation in the specific skillsets organisations require in coming years, what’s clear is that a willingness and capacity to work with AI tools is going to be vital for future success.

Younger generations are more open to embracing new AI technologies, and as education (both traditional and non-traditional pathways) evolves to focus on these new skills, they are most likely to be able to bring the required skillset to the organisation. If organisations reduce hiring of early career employees, they risk putting themselves at a massive disadvantage when it comes to staying ahead of the curve on AI.

Top tips for shaping your early talent strategy in the age of AI

1. Forecast future talent needs

Look beyond today’s hiring needs when considering your strategy for early talent hiring. Which mid-to-senior level positions are you likely to need to hire for in the next five years? Taking the opportunity to bring in high quality early talent in a competitive job market is an investment in your future talent pipeline that will pay off in the long term.

2. Reshape early career roles

A lot of the discussion around AI replacing early career roles centres on more routine tasks like documentation or review. Often, these aren’t the tasks that are most motivating for early talent. Think outside the box – are there internal change projects the organisation needs to undertake but never has adequate resources? Are there new innovations you could be putting more focus on? Reframe how you think of early career roles – these are now resources that can be freed up to support on tasks that are key to your long-term business strategy.

3. Leverage early talent as champions of AI

As mentioned, early talent is more likely to embrace AI and stay up to date with the latest advances. Leverage this quality by involving them in discussions about where AI can be implemented most effectively within the organisation. Employ techniques like reciprocal mentoring to encourage them to share their knowledge with more experienced employees, while in turn gaining insight into the institutional knowledge and leadership skills required to succeed at more senior levels.

4. Anticipate higher application volumes

It’s undeniable that despite the continued value of early talent to organisations, hiring for these roles is down, meaning demand will be high in the near future. Anticipate the impact this may have on your hiring processes. Are you prepared to deal with a significant increase in volume? Putting in place robust screening tools that focus on the key skills linked to early career success will help to ensure you hire the best quality applicants without losing efficiency.

5. Don’t neglect the human element of hiring

In a competitive job market where the power lies more in the hands of the employer, it’s tempting to rely heavily on automation to manage application volume. However, it’s important not to lose sight of the importance of candidate experience in the process. As human beings, we know that poor experiences can have consequences for the organisation’s reputation as an employer, but also as a brand. Our research on early talent hiring indicates that early career applicants value a sense of personal connection in the hiring process. Ensure you build touchpoints into the process where candidates are able to interact with those they will be working with, ask questions, and receive feedback on their performance in the selection process.

Combine the strengths of both AI and early talent for maximum impact

While AI certainly is having and will continue to have a large impact on the early talent landscape, reports of AI taking human jobs – specifically replacing all entry-level roles – are largely overstated and more likely attributed to economic factors. Early talent still has a significant role to play in shaping business success, and organisations that can successfully leverage both in tandem will have a competitive advantage as demand for certain skillsets increases.

While automation is reshaping tasks, the need for transferable skills like human creativity, adaptability, and strategic thinking remains irreplaceable. Organisations that view early talent as a long-term investment – not just a short-term resource – will be best positioned to thrive in an AI-driven world. The future isn’t about humans versus AI; it’s about humans and AI working together to create smarter, stronger organisations.