Briefing AI and Entry-Level Jobs January 2026

How AI is Changing Early Careers: A View from Entry- Level Workers EXECUTIVE BRIEFING JANUARY 2026 Context Entry-level roles have long been the bridge between education and employment. For many workers, they offer a first opportunity to apply learning in a real-world setting and begin building essential skills. For employers, these roles deliver vital day-to-day value through foundational tasks such as administration, analysis and research, while also developing future capabilities and leadership potential. Today, that bridge is shifting as Artificial Intelligence (AI) changes both who does entry- level work and how it is done. Routine tasks are being automated, expectations for entry-level roles are changing, and new skills are in demand. Workforce AI adoption is uneven across sectors and regions, but its influence on how people begin and build their careers is already being felt globally. To understand how entry-level workers themselves feel about these changes, this briefing draws on the findings of the World Economic Forum’s Global Dialogue on AI and Entry-Level Work and PwC’s Global Workforce Hopes & Fears Survey 2025. The Global Dialogue brought together over 200 experts, public and private sector leaders, as well as Global Shapers, between July and September 2025 to examine how AI is transforming entry-level work. PwC’s Global Workforce Hopes & Fears Survey 2025 provides one of the few global datasets that distinguishes entry-level workers as a distinct respondent group. The survey’s findings draw on responses from 9,394 entry-level employees across 28 sectors, 48 countries and regions, and four generations of workers. Overall, this evidence finds that early-career workers are asking what this change means for them. Some are already adapting, using AI tools to learn faster and build new skills. Others remain unsure which paths to follow or how secure their roles will be. Their experiences reveal the human side of a transformation that is often viewed through a more abstract lens of strategy and productivity. Five key findings Optimism and curiosity tend to outweigh concern globally. Across all regions, entry-level workers report being more curious (47%) and excited (38%) about AI than they are worried (29%). This overall balance points to openness rather than fear, but nearly one in three early-career workers still feel anxious about AI’s impact on their jobs. Optimism and concern coexist, reflecting both enthusiasm for innovation and uncertainty about what it means for their future. Top areas of optimism and concern about AI adoption among entry-level workers from the Global DialogueFIGURE 1 Source: World Economic Forum, Global Dialogue on AI and Entry-Level Work, 2025.Optimism Concern Creation of new types of jobs Productivity gains through augmentation of repetitive tasks Enhanced skill development for entry-level workers1 2 3Reduced number of jobs Lack of preparedness and support for adapting to change Risk of socio-economic inequalities How AI is Changing Early Careers: A View from Entry-Level Workers 1Openness outweighs fear, but questions remain1