Asger Risom
Researchers and executives warn that the trend could have consequences that extend far beyond today’s job market.
The rapid spread of artificial intelligence is beginning to reshape the earliest stage of many careers. As companies automate routine work, the entry-level roles that once served as a gateway into professional life are quietly disappearing.
Researchers and executives warn that the trend could have consequences that extend far beyond today’s job market.
Entry-level job postings in the United States have fallen by about 35% over the past two years, according to labor research firm Revelio Labs. Analysts say the decline coincides with wider adoption of AI systems that can handle tasks traditionally assigned to junior staff.
Executives increasingly view the shift as a structural change rather than a temporary slowdown, raising questions about how future workers will gain experience.
Training takes a back seat
As companies invest heavily in AI tools, spending on early-career training has struggled to keep pace. According to Umesh Ramakrishnan, co-founder and partner at executive search firm Kingsley Gate, many corporate leaders are prioritizing short-term productivity gains over long-term workforce development.
He said investment dollars are flowing into automation rather than into programs that help young workers build foundational skills, creating a growing imbalance between technology spending and talent development.
That imbalance, executives worry, may not become visible for several years—until companies begin searching for experienced midlevel workers who were never trained.
The broken pipeline
Ramakrishnan described the disappearance of entry-level jobs as a threat to the entire talent pipeline. He noted that senior leaders across industries typically began their careers in junior roles, which historically fed into middle management and, eventually, executive positions.
With fewer people entering organizations at the bottom, companies risk hollowing out their future leadership ranks. Middle-level roles, he argued, do not materialize on their own; they are built over time from entry-level experience.
Why entry-level roles go first
AI tends to replace work that is repetitive, rules-based, and heavily supervised—precisely the characteristics of many entry-level jobs. Tasks such as basic analysis, documentation, customer support, and junior coding are often the easiest to automate, allowing companies to reduce headcount without disrupting senior decision-making.
More experienced roles, by contrast, rely on judgment, accountability, and institutional knowledge that remains difficult to replicate with current AI systems. As a result, automation pressure concentrates at the bottom of the career ladder first.
Rethinking education
Ramakrishnan said the education system will need to adapt quickly. He called for earlier and more immersive workplace exposure, including partnerships where companies help fund education in exchange for meaningful, on-the-job training.
He also urged students to begin learning AI skills earlier, arguing that familiarity with these tools will be essential for navigating a workforce with fewer traditional entry points.
Without coordinated changes from employers and educators, experts warn that the decline in entry-level jobs could reshape not just how careers begin, but who leads organizations in the decades ahead.
Sources: Revelio Labs; Kingsley Gate interview
