Nearly half of CEOs don’t want to hire entry-level employees as AI can do their work: Study
Nearly half of CEOs across the world do not want to hire for entry-level jobs anymore. According to a new global survey by the Oliver Wyman Forum and the New York Stock Exchange, companies are planning to move away from hiring freshers and instead focus more on experienced employees, as artificial intelligence is already helping take care of many routine entry-level tasks.
The 2026 CEO Survey, based on responses from 415 chief executives across industries and regions, found that 43 per cent of CEOs expect to shift away from junior-level roles over the next two years. Notably, that is a sharp jump from just 17 per cent in 2025. At the same time, 33 per cent of CEOs said they plan to increase their focus on mid-level roles, while 10 per cent said they were leaning more towards senior roles.
The latest findings follow the growing trend of AI already helping companies handle much of the repetitive work traditionally assigned to fresh graduates and junior staff. From writing code and analysing documents to handling customer support and generating reports, AI systems are increasingly being used for tasks that once formed the foundation of entry-level jobs.
Companies preferring senior employees to keep eye on AI
The survey findings also suggest that many executives now see experienced employees as more valuable because AI still struggles with judgement, decision-making and real-world context. Companies are also said to be finding it difficult to replace practical experience and critical thinking with AI tools alone.
The study describes this shift as the traditional workforce “talent pyramid” turning into a “middle-heavy diamond”, where companies rely less on large pools of junior workers and more on smaller teams of experienced employees supported by AI.
No major workforce increase is expected over the next two years
Meanwhile, the survey highlights that 45 per cent of CEOs expect overall headcount to remain flat over the next one to two years, while 29 per cent said they plan workforce reductions of more than 5 per cent. Combined, nearly three-quarters of CEOs are either freezing hiring or reducing staff.
While many CEOs are moving away from junior roles, the study also highlighted that some companies seeing strong returns from AI are still investing in younger talent. Among firms reporting strong AI returns, 24 per cent of CEOs said they were shifting towards junior workers, compared with 17 per cent among companies struggling to see meaningful gains from AI.
The report added that many businesses still see value in hiring digitally native and AI-fluent younger employees, especially as companies redesign workflows around AI tools.
Overall, the findings point to a deeper shift underway in the global job market, where companies are increasingly questioning how many entry-level employees they need and what kinds of skills will matter most in an AI-driven workplace.
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