{"id":64720,"date":"2025-12-08T21:00:08","date_gmt":"2025-12-08T21:00:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/64720\/"},"modified":"2025-12-08T21:00:08","modified_gmt":"2025-12-08T21:00:08","slug":"how-ai-is-changing-the-job-market-for-todays-college-students","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/64720\/","title":{"rendered":"How AI Is Changing the Job Market for Today\u2019s College Students"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>An Increased Use of AI Tools Across Industries\u00a0<img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/aiecosystems.png\" width=\"320\" height=\"480\" alt=\"\u201cTable comparing major AI platforms by main model, personalized agents, and unique focus areas.\u201d\"\/><\/p>\n<p>According to<a href=\"https:\/\/hai.stanford.edu\/ai-index\/2025-ai-index-report\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"> Stanford\u2019s 2025 AI Index report<\/a>, a massive 78 percent of organizations are already using AI in at least one part of their work. That\u2019s up from 55 percent in just one year.<\/p>\n<p>AI is advancing rapidly, and the large powerful, proprietary models. These \u201cLarge Language Models\u201d are the \u201cbrains\u201d behind tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, and more.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>The chart provides a simple explanation of the major players, the models they\u2019ve built, how they\u2019re used, and what makes each one stand out.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>What does this mean for students?<\/p>\n<p>Recent research from top universities suggests that entry-level roles are already feeling the crunch of AI adoption. <a href=\"https:\/\/hbr.org\/2024\/11\/research-how-gen-ai-is-already-impacting-the-labor-market\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">A Harvard University study<\/a> tracking 62 million workers across 285,000 US firms found junior positions \u201cshrinking at companies integrating AI\u201d since 2023.<\/p>\n<p>The researchers warn that AI is \u201ceroding the \u2018bottom rungs\u2019 of career ladders\u201d by automating many \u201cintellectually mundane tasks\u201d that junior employees typically handle.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/digitaleconomy.stanford.edu\/news\/ai-and-labor-markets-what-we-know-and-dont-know\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">A Stanford University analysis<\/a> echoed this trend: workers aged 22\u201325 in AI-exposed fields experienced a 13 percent relative decline in employment, even as older colleagues saw gains in the same sectors. This suggests AI is starting to have a \u201csignificant and disproportionate impact on entry-level workers.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Just as the research shows clear shifts in early-career roles, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.stjohns.edu\/academics\/faculty\/giancarlo-crocetti\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Professor Giancarlo Crocetti, D.P.S.,<\/a> at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.stjohns.edu\/academics\/schools\/college-professional-studies\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">The Lesley H. and William L. Collins College of Professional Studies<\/a> at St. John\u2019s University and Director of the University\u2019s AI Institute, warned that these trends may be symptoms of a much bigger problem. Companies are deploying AI so quickly that they may be restructuring their workforces without fully understanding the long-term effects.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe real challenge isn\u2019t just that AI is changing work, it\u2019s that we\u2019re deploying it faster than we can understand its implications,\u201d says Dr. Crocetti. \u201cCompanies are making irreversible decisions about workforce structure based on projected efficiencies that may not materialize or that may create new, unforeseen problems. Students entering this market aren\u2019t just facing a skills gap; they\u2019re entering an environment of profound institutional uncertainty.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Which entry-level jobs are being most impacted?\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>To gain more insight, we spoke with <a href=\"https:\/\/careerservices.stjohns.edu\/staff\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Bob Beaudet<\/a>, St. John\u2019s University\u2019s Director of Employer Relations at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.stjohns.edu\/academics\/schools\/peter-j-tobin-college-business\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">The Peter J. Tobin College of Business<\/a>, to better understand how these trends are playing out with employers interacting directly with graduates today.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAnything repetitive, in any industry, is being affected,\u201d says Mr. Beaudet. \u201cIn fields like accounting and certain data-heavy financial roles, we\u2019re seeing clear softening. A lot of companies are unsure how AI will reshape roles, so some are slowing down hiring because they simply don\u2019t know what positions will look like in the future.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/output_1.png\" width=\"480\" height=\"286\" alt=\"Stacked bar chart showing the reported impact of generative AI across entry, mid, senior, and executive job levels.\"\/><\/p>\n<p>This chart shows how executives expect AI to impact different job levels. Entry-level roles are predicted to be hit the hardest, with 77 percent reporting moderate to extreme disruption.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Is AI going to steal your future job? Not exactly.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Importantly, experts emphasize that this doesn\u2019t mean all beginner jobs will vanish overnight. When AI takes over parts of a job, employees can refocus on higher-value work; for example, using time saved to do more creative problem solving or critical thinking.<\/p>\n<p>In companies that adopted AI, productivity gains even allowed some highly AI-exposed roles to expand rather than disappear. In other words, AI can act as a performance booster; it \u201callows us to do more\u201d with the same workforce, as <a href=\"https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/2025\/06\/04\/alphabet-ceo-sundar-pichai-dismisses-ai-job-fears-emphasizes-expansion-plans\/#:~:text=In%20a%20Bloomberg%20interview%2C%20Alphabet%20CEO%20Sundar,product%20development%2C%20creating%20demand%20for%20more%20employees.\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Google Chief Executive Officer Sundar Pichai<\/a> puts it.<\/p>\n<p>Mr. Pichai argues that while AI may automate tedious tasks, it serves as an \u201caccelerator\u201d for productivity and innovation, not a replacement for human workers.<\/p>\n<p>A trend reshaping workplaces is <a href=\"https:\/\/www.deloitte.com\/us\/en\/what-we-do\/capabilities\/applied-artificial-intelligence\/articles\/ai-agents-multiagent-systems.html\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">the rise of AI agents<\/a>, autonomous tools that can complete multistep tasks inside teams. Agents can schedule meetings, pull data from multiple systems, draft documents, generate reports, or monitor workflows without constant human guidance. Companies are starting to deploy them across departments and operations to reduce manual work and support employees. Instead of replacing roles, these agents act like digital teammates.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Real World Example: AI Supporting Workers, Not Replacing Them\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>One example comes from NYU Langone, a health-care clinic in New York that <a href=\"https:\/\/nyulangone.org\/news\/artificial-intelligence-model-makes-doctors-notes-more-patient-friendly?utm_source=chatgpt.com\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">introduced an AI assistant <\/a>in their Brooklyn and Suffolk County locations to help medical scribes. The tool summarized patient notes and suggested billing codes, which sped up the documentation process and reduced errors. No one was replaced; the AI simply handled repetitive tasks so the staff could spend more time focusing on patient care.<\/p>\n<p>Still, faced with these uncertainties, educators and business leaders alike caution against an extreme reaction of eliminating junior roles. Harvard Business School\u2019s Amy Edmondson notes that cutting entry-level jobs is short-sighted. These positions are \u201ccrucial for developing future leaders.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Instead of eliminating early-career roles, companies should redesign them to leverage AI for routine tasks while humans focus on judgment, creativity, and collaboration.<\/p>\n<p>Career Readiness in an AI-Driven Job Market<\/p>\n<p>Traditional job preparation isn\u2019t enough anymore. As AI accelerates across every industry, the most career-ready graduates are those who know how to keep reskilling and adapting to new tools. In fact, a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ibm.com\/thought-leadership\/institute-business-value\/report\/augmented-workforce\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">2023 IBM global study<\/a> found that 40 percent of the workforce will need to reskill within just three years, mainly in entry-level positions. <a href=\"https:\/\/hai.stanford.edu\/assets\/files\/hai_ai-index-report_2023.pdf\" data-entity-type=\"external\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Stanford\u2019s 2023 AI Index report<\/a> highlights that demand for AI-related skills is rising in nearly every sector of the economy, not just in tech jobs.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>There\u2019s also a growing emphasis on responsible AI use. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/en-us\/worklab\/work-trend-index\/will-ai-fix-work\" data-entity-type=\"external\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Microsoft\u2019s 2025 A<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/en-us\/worklab\/work-trend-index\/will-ai-fix-work\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">I<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/en-us\/worklab\/work-trend-index\/will-ai-fix-work\" data-entity-type=\"external\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"> in Education report <\/a>notes that while over 60 percent of students have tried AI tools, many lack guidance on how to use them effectively and ethically. Colleges and universities are beginning to fill that gap by integrating AI literacy and hands-on training directly into career preparation.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cEmployers expect students to have some knowledge of AI tools, even if they\u2019re not specific about which ones,\u201d says Mr. Beaudet. \u201cSome companies even have internal AI platforms that employees must use, so they want candidates who can navigate these tools confidently.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Skills Students Will Need in an AI-Driven Workforce<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/en-us\/worklab\/work-trend-index\/will-ai-fix-work\" data-entity-type=\"external\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Microsoft\u2019s 2023 Work Trend Index<\/a> report found that 82 percent of leaders believe employees will need new skills as AI continues to grow. Crucially, \u201clearning to work alongside AI won\u2019t just be about building technical capacity,\u201d the report notes. It will require sharpening analytical judgment, creativity, and empathy; the kinds of soft skills that AI cannot easily replicate.<\/p>\n<p>Employers want adaptive problem solvers who can collaborate with both humans and AI tools. McKinsey&#8217;s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mckinsey.com\/mgi\/our-research\/generative-ai-and-the-future-of-work-in-america\" data-entity-type=\"external\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Generative AI and the Future of Work in America<\/a> report found\u00a0that individuals who exhibit strengths in \u201cadaptability, coping with uncertainty, and synthesizing information\u201d are more likely to be employed and earn higher incomes in the future. On the technical side, digital literacy and AI fluency will be baseline requirements.<\/p>\n<p>Utilizing AI tools might sound intimidating, but it\u2019s more approachable than you think, and now is the perfect time to jump in.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>You don\u2019t need to be a programmer or math genius to explore it. There are tools, courses, and communities built for beginners in every field. Whether you\u2019re into marketing, art, or business, understanding AI will open doors and give you a major edge in your career.<\/p>\n<p>Simple Ways to Start Building AI Literacy\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>If you\u2019re looking to build AI confidence early, consider trying a few small steps:<\/p>\n<p>Take a short online course. Free, self-paced options on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.coursera.org\/courses?query=artificial%20intelligence\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Coursera<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.edx.org\/learn\/artificial-intelligence\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">edX<\/a>, and <a href=\"https:\/\/ai.google\/learn-ai-skills\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Google\u2019s AI Learning Hub<\/a> can help you understand the basics without any technical background.Start utilizing AI tools to enhance\u2014not replace\u2014your work. Try using tools like <a href=\"https:\/\/chatgpt.com\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">ChatGPT<\/a> for brainstorming ideas, summarizing notes, or exploring sample problems with AI. You\u2019ll learn fastest by using it regularly.Ask questions and stay curious. The more you explore, the more you\u2019ll understand what AI can (and can\u2019t) do.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"An Increased Use of AI Tools Across Industries\u00a0 According to Stanford\u2019s 2025 AI Index report, a massive 78&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":64721,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[37],"tags":[33838,33836,33841,33844,33843,33840,9,24,63,33842,122,124,123,8732,33837,33839],"class_list":["post-64720","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-queens","tag-ai-career-readiness","tag-ai-job-market-trends","tag-ai-tools-in-industry","tag-college-career-development-and-ai","tag-emerging-tech-skills-for-students","tag-large-language-models-comparison","tag-new-york","tag-new-york-city","tag-nyc","tag-preparing-for-ai-driven-careers","tag-queens","tag-queens-headlines","tag-queens-news","tag-st-johns-university-queens-ny","tag-students-and-artificial-intelligence","tag-workforce-skills-for-students"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/64720","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=64720"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/64720\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/64721"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=64720"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=64720"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=64720"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}