The entry-level job may not disappear en masse due to AI, but it could make the role harder, a new survey shows.
A report published Tuesday that surveyed 1,500 executives showed that while nearly half of respondents expect AI to have a positive impact on demand for entry-level employees, they also see AI emphasizing different skill sets for those roles.
The report, by the Strada Institute for the Future of Work, found that 42% of employers who explored using AI saw that the technology “increased analytical and judgement-based responsibilities” while 41% say it “reduced routine or administrative tasks.”
In tech, 60% of employers who explored using AI saw an increase in analytical and judgment-based responsibilities for entry-level workers, and 54% saw a reduced need for jobs that cover routine tasks.
“Employers expecting AI to increase entry-level hiring report these roles are becoming more complex, while those expecting to hire fewer people are using AI to automate basic tasks,” the report said.
The sentiment is not evenly seen across industries. Within hospitality, leisure, and arts, 28% saw an increase in analytical and judgment-based skills and a 35% reduction in routine jobs.
Mark Cuban, billionaire and founder, told Business Insider that it’s hard to draw conclusions from the report alone. Still, he said it makes sense that companies are now expecting more out of junior employees.
“What people thought of as an entry-level position before — show up and do the tedious work — is gone,” Cuban said.
“Now when companies hire they expect you to hit the ground running. No matter your background,” Cuban said. “Which makes sense because they are trying to compete in a new AI world.”
AI’s advancement has sparked concerns that the entry-level role is getting harder to come by, especially for new software engineers, as Big Tech continues to trim head count.
Still, one study published last year showed 67% of public-company CEOs surveyed said they expect AI to increase entry-level hiring.
The Strada report similarly found that executives who expect to increase hiring due to AI are more likely to have strategically integrated AI tools, meaning “they have a clear, company-wide plan for using AI across all their teams to help the business succeed.”
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