“Artificial intelligence snaps up good entry-level positions [so] entry-level jobs start to look like today’s mid-levels, which demand years of experience,” writes Ryan Craig, Managing Director at Achieve Partners. The result for college graduates who are career beginners is an experience gap, where requirements for good entry-level jobs are higher than in the past.
In cybersecurity, for example, Tier 1 entry-level jobs that involve detection and response are now automated. This creates new entry-level analyst jobs requiring at least four years of experience, placing a higher premium on demonstrated experience or knowing what to do with the skills individuals have.
Another example comes from OpenAI researchers, who showed how ChatGPT could perform thousands of tasks that cover more than 1,000 occupations defined by the U.S. Department of Labor. The effect is to “sever the career ladder of industries like finance and law,” writes Molly Kinder of the Brooking Institution. The problem will worsen as industry-specific language models develop, with employers adding years of job experience to entry-level job descriptions.
