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AI automation is cutting opportunities for 22-25 year-olds in many roles, Stanford study finds
Stanford’s latest research reveals the ground is shifting for young workers in tech and office jobs.With entry-level roles vanishing, what does the future hold?
AI is rapidly reshaping the job market for young professionals and there’s new data to back up the claims. A recent study from Stanford University finds that entry-level employment in AI-exposed fields has dropped by 13% since late 2022. The decline has hit software developers, customer service representatives, and administrative assistants aged 22 to 25 the hardest, even as older workers in these same roles continued to see job gains during the same period.
Where is the sharpest impact felt?
The Stanford analysis, which looked at millions of payroll records from ADP, revealed that the most severe job losses were in positions where AI is able to automate tasks rather than simply help employees work faster or smarter. For young software developers aged 22 to 25, employment fell by nearly 20% from its peak in late 2022. This indicates companies are leaning heavily on automation for basic programming and support roles, squeezing out the least experienced workers just as they try to get their foot in the door.
The study notes that these trends are not simply the result of broader economic conditions, like interest rate hikes or post-pandemic workforce adjustments. The researchers controlled for company-level differences and other factors, isolating the specific impact of AI adoption on entry-level roles.
AI is still growing
It’s not all bad news for young people entering the workforce. The Stanford team found that in occupations less exposed to AI, like nursing, job opportunities for young workers actually grew across all age brackets. This contrast offers a clear signal that automation’s immediate impact is highly concentrated in fields where tasks can be easily automated by current technology.
While debates around AI’s effect on jobs have often focused on theoretical risks, this real-world data paints a sobering picture: for many young professionals, particularly in tech and routine office support, the first step on the career ladder is looking increasingly unstable. The full study is available at the Stanford Digital Economy Lab’s website. If you’re entering or working in an AI-exposed role today, the ground beneath your feet is already starting to shift.
