AI is hitting entry-level jobs hardest, Stanford study finds

A Stanford University study of payroll data from recent years found that employment for workers aged 22 to 25 in occupations most exposed to AI disruption has declined significantly compared to their peers in fields less affected by AI. The gap in entry-level employment between AI-exposed and AI-resistant fields has widened from 13 percent to 19 percent since the previous year's analysis. This matters because the effect appears driven primarily by lower hiring rates rather than layoffs, suggesting a narrowing path for young workers entering careers in fields where AI is automating tasks, while overall economy-wide employment has remained relatively stable. The research indicates that jobs requiring standardized, documented knowledge face the steepest entry-level declines, though higher education may provide some buffer against these employment effects.