Overview

Published in May 2026, Entry-Level Hiring in the AI Era: What Employers Are Thinking (and Doing) is a report from the Strada Institute for the Future of Work based on a survey of 1,498 executives and senior talent leaders at U.S. organizations that hire entry-level employees. The report examines how artificial intelligence (AI) is affecting entry-level hiring volumes, the nature of entry-level work, and the skills and qualifications employers prioritize when hiring recent graduates and early-career workers.

The survey, conducted in partnership with Artemis Strategy Group in March 2026, weighted responses by industry, organization size, and geography to reflect U.S. employers with at least five employees. Individuals surveyed included general managers (27%), CEOs and presidents (27%), and senior human resources professionals (49%). Respondents were allowed to mark multiple roles in their response.

Key findings of the report include:

• AI is more likely to increase than reduce entry-level hiring in the near term.
  • Nearly three times as many senior talent leaders expect AI to increase rather than decrease entry-level hiring in 2026.
  • 46% of employers that have at least explored AI reported an overall increase in entry-level hiring in 2025.
  • Among firms that anticipate positive impacts on hiring, 27% named AI as the single-most important factor.
• The impact of AI on entry-level hiring depends on how deeply it is integrated.
  • Firms that have strategically integrated AI across their organization are significantly more likely to report increased entry-level hiring than firms that have only partially integrated or are still exploring.
  • Firms reducing entry-level hiring due to AI tend to be using it primarily to automate routine tasks.
  • Those expanding hiring tend to be using it to elevate entry-level roles into more complex work.
• AI is shifting the nature of entry-level work upward.
  • More than 40% of employers report that AI has increased analytical and judgment-based responsibilities at the entry level.
  • A similar share report that routine administrative tasks have been reduced.
  • This shift is most pronounced in the technology and manufacturing sectors.
• Critical thinking and communication remain more valued than AI literacy.
  • Employers rate critical thinking, communication, and collaboration as the most important skills for entry-level hires.
  • AI literacy ranks last among the skills evaluated.
• Work experience outweighs academic credentials.
  • When evaluating candidates for entry-level professional roles, employers rank work experience, including internships, as most important.
  • A candidate with a 4.0 GPA and academic awards but no work history is rated as the least desirable profile.
• AI is not the main threat to entry-level hiring.
  • Among employers anticipating negative impacts on entry-level hiring, economic conditions are the most commonly cited factor.
  • Only 16% of employers expecting a decrease cite AI use as the primary negative driver.

Background

Concerns about AI's displacement effects on entry-level roles have grown alongside rapid adoption of AI tools across industries. The Strada Institute for the Future of Work designed this survey to provide direct employer evidence on the early impacts of AI, at a moment when most research on AI and labor markets have not focused on observed hiring behavior.

Partners

• Strada Education Foundation and Strada Institute for the Future of Work
• Artemis Strategy Group

Resources