Intelligent.com, a platform dedicated to helping young professionals navigate the future of work, has published a recent survey report examining the impact of AI on young workers. The report also shares insight into the current availability of internship and entry-level job opportunities. In total, 804 hiring managers in the United States completed the survey.
Based on the survey, 78 per cent of hiring managers anticipate that AI will lead to layoffs of recent college graduates at their company within the next year. Among this group, 23 per cent say less than 3 per cent will be let go. Additionally, 27 per cent anticipate layoffs ranging from 5 to 10 per cent, while 11 per cent estimate between 15 and 30 per cent. Eleven per cent predict 30 to 60 per cent will be laid off, and 6 per cent report that 70 per cent or more of recent graduates may lose their jobs.
“Many recent graduates are hired to fill entry-level roles that involve information-related tasks such as research, data entry, customer service, and general office assistance,” says Chief Education and Career Development Advisor, Huy Nguyen. “While these entry-level positions provide people entering the workforce for the first time with crucial experience, they are also the ones that are most easily replaced by artificial intelligence.”
Survey results also indicate that since ChatGPT launched in November 2022, 84 per cent of companies report offering more internship opportunities. Eleven per cent state that they offer neither more nor fewer, and 4 per cent claim to offer fewer internships. Similarly, 70 per cent of respondents say they have offered more job opportunities since November 2022. Twenty-two per cent report offering neither more nor fewer, and 7 per cent admit to offering fewer jobs to recent graduates.
“While the total number of job opportunities and internships may be on the rise, the types of entry-level roles being created are shifting due to the rapid pace of technology advancement, especially through AI and automation,” offers Nguyen.
Seventy per cent of hiring managers either “fully” or “somewhat agree” that AI can perform an intern’s job. The primary intern tasks believed to be achievable by AI, according to hiring managers, include email writing, data entry, research, customer support, and generating task lists. In fact, 57 per cent express they trust AI “significantly” or “somewhat more” than an intern’s capabilities. Likewise, 69 per cent of hiring managers “fully” or “somewhat agree” that AI can perform the job of a recent graduate. Fifty-six per cent trust the work of AI “significantly” or “somewhat more” than that of a recent graduate.
The full report can be seen here: https://www.intelligent.com/8-in-10-companies-plan-to-layoff-recent-college-grads-this-year-due-to-ai/.
