AI and entry level jobs - how to avoid the “great unravelling”

As discussed in my previous article on this topic, eliminating many of the traditional entry points by which young people join the workforce could have negative societal repercussions.

But it could also cause big problems for employers too. Dr Christina Inge, an Instructor for the AI in Marketing Graduate Certificate at Harvard University and Founder and Chief Executive of tech consultancy Thoughtlight, explains:

Many employers haven’t fully grasped this crisis. They’re optimizing for today’s efficiency but undermining tomorrow’s talent pipeline. If we eliminate junior roles, where will mid-level managers come from in five years? Some organizations are sleepwalking into a leadership vacuum.

The old career ladder was built on predictable steps: you start with basic tasks, learn the ropes, then climb upwards as you gain experience. AI is dismantling some of those steps. That’s not necessarily bad – many [workers] now handle complex projects far earlier ...