AI may already be shrinking entry-level jobs in tech, new research suggests

When analyzing hiring trends, SignalFire noticed that tech companies recruited fewer recent college graduates in 2024 than they did in 2023. Meanwhile, tech companies, especially the top 15 Big Tech businesses, ramped up their hiring of experienced professionals. Specifically, SignalFire found that Big Tech companies reduced the hiring of new graduates by 25% in 2024 compared to 2023. Although AI’s threat to low-skilled jobs is real, tech companies’ need for experienced professionals is still rising. A frustrating paradox emerges for recent graduates: They can’t get hired without experience, but they can’t get experience without being hired.