At a time when artificial intelligence is raising fears about shrinking job opportunities, IBM has announced plans to significantly expand its early-career hiring in the US in 2026.
According to a report by a global news agency, IBM will triple its entry-level recruitment next year. The company’s Chief Human Resources Officer, Nickel LaMoreaux, said the hiring push will span multiple departments. Speaking at the Charter’s Leading with AI Summit in New York, she stated, “And yes, it’s for all these jobs that we’re being told AI can do,” highlighting IBM’s continued focus on human talent even as automation advances.
LaMoreaux explained that IBM has redesigned job roles for junior employees, including software developers. With AI tools now handling routine coding tasks, entry-level developers are spending less time writing code and more time working directly with customers.
In the HR department, junior staff step in when chatbots fail to resolve issues. They correct AI-generated outputs and engage with managers instead of handling every query manually.
“The entry-level jobs that you had 2 to 3 years ago, AI can do most of them,” LaMoreaux said.
“So, if you’re going to convince your business leaders that you need to make this investment, then you need to be able to show the real value these individuals can bring now.”
IBM’s move comes amid growing anxiety across the industry about AI-driven job losses. Many fear that AI could reduce opportunities for fresh graduates. Last year, Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei warned that 50% of entry-level roles could disappear by 2030. Rapid advances in generative AI have also increased concerns among college students facing a challenging job market.
Some companies have already reduced early-career hiring to cut costs. However, LaMoreaux warned that this strategy may create long-term problems. Without a steady pipeline of junior hires, companies may face a shortage of mid-level managers in the future. This could force them to hire from competitors, which is often more expensive and slower.
Melanie Rosenwasser, Chief People Officer at Dropbox, said younger employees may be better equipped for the AI era. “It’s like they’re biking in the Tour de France and the rest of us still have training wheels.”
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