A recent article in the New York Times seemed to signal an AI-fueled apocalypse for job seekers. The article profiled the plight of recent college graduates who’d expected six-figure jobs with their computer science degrees but were now scrapping for shifts at Chipotle. According to one expert quoted in the Times, the jobs “most likely to be automated are the entry-level positions that [recent graduates] would be seeking.”
Recent research shows that AI is replacing entry-level jobs, similar to how mechanical automation eliminated low-skill manufacturing roles in past decades. However, this expanding definition of “expertise” will eventually create new jobs and pathways for workers to gain skills necessary to stay competitive in a post-AI era. The outcome could be the democratization of expertise and wider opportunities for upward mobility.
