Reports
Published: 22 June 2026

Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Entry-Level Work: A Framework for Safeguarding and Reinventing Early Career Pathways

Artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping how organizations hire, develop and advance talent, and this is most visible at entry-level. Globally, more than one in three young workers are employed in occupations with medium to high exposure to AI-driven task change. How these roles evolve will have significant implications for organizational performance, workforce participation and economic mobility.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping how organizations hire, develop and advance talent, and this is most visible at entry-level. Globally, more than one in three young workers are employed in occupations with medium to high exposure to AI-driven task change. How these roles evolve will have significant implications for organizational performance, workforce participation and economic mobility.


This report, developed in collaboration with PwC and informed by insights from global stakeholders and workforce leaders across industries, examines the impact of AI on entry-level work and identifies priorities for safeguarding and reinventing early-career pathways. It introduces a framework centered on four dimensions - job access, job design, talent pipelines and education system alignment - to help organizations, educators, workers and policy-makers identify where strain is emerging and where deliberate action is needed.

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