AI makes – A new survey of 1,500 executives suggests AI is unlikely to eliminate entry-level positions outright. But companies that have experimented with the technology increasingly expect junior roles to carry more analytical and judgment work while shrinking routine t
For many job seekers, “entry-level” has always sounded like a promise: walk in, learn the system, handle the basics first. But a new survey is pointing to a harsher version of that promise—one where the title stays. yet the work becomes less predictable. more technical in practice. and less routine to start.
A report published Tuesday that surveyed 1,500 executives finds that nearly half of respondents expect AI to have a positive impact on demand for entry-level employees. At the same time, these executives say AI is shifting what junior roles actually require.
The Strada Institute for the Future of Work report says 42% of employers who explored using AI saw the technology increase “analytical and judgement-based responsibilities.” Another 41% said AI reduced “routine or administrative tasks.”
In tech specifically, the shifts look even sharper: 60% of employers who explored using AI saw an increase in analytical and judgment-based responsibilities for entry-level workers, and 54% saw a reduced need for jobs that cover routine tasks.
The report frames the trade-off plainly: employers expecting AI to increase entry-level hiring say those roles are becoming more complex, while those expecting to hire fewer people are using AI to automate basic tasks.
Those expectations aren’t uniform across industries. Within hospitality, leisure, and arts, 28% of respondents saw an increase in analytical and judgment-based skills and a 35% reduction in routine jobs.
One of the most direct reactions came from Mark Cuban, billionaire and founder, who said it’s hard to draw conclusions from the report alone. Even so, he argued that it makes sense companies now expect more from junior employees.
“What people thought of as an entry-level position before — show up and do the tedious work — is gone,” Cuban said.
“Now when companies hire they expect you to hit the ground running. No matter your background,” he added, describing that pressure as part of how firms are trying to compete “in a new AI world.”
This tension—more hiring demand in theory. tougher expectations in practice—has become a central concern as AI advances and Big Tech continues to trim headcount. The anxiety isn’t just about whether entry-level positions disappear. It’s also about whether the doorway narrows without changing the sign.
Last year, one study found 67% of public-company CEOs surveyed said they expect AI to increase entry-level hiring. The Strada report found something similar among executives who do expect growth: they are more likely to have strategically integrated AI tools. with “a clear. company-wide plan for using AI across all their teams to help the business succeed.”.
Taken together, the findings suggest the job market may not be erasing entry-level roles en masse. But it may be stripping away the “routine-first” ladder many candidates relied on—leaving junior hires to step into responsibilities that look closer to analysis and judgment than to repetition and basic administration.
AI hiring entry-level jobs Strada Institute future of work executive survey analytical responsibilities routine tasks Mark Cuban