Workers

Shortlysts _ A new survey of corporate CEOs conducted by Oliver Wyman suggests artificial intelligence may be changing hiring plans in a way that could hit younger workers first. While public discussion around AI often focuses on mass automation or dramatic job losses, executives appear to be making more targeted decisions.

Many companies are reconsidering whether they need as many entry-level workers if AI systems can handle portions of beginner-level tasks.

The numbers changed sharply over the past year. Roughly 43% of CEOs said they expect to reduce hiring for junior positions, up from 17% previously, while only 17% of CEOs surveyed said they planned to increase focus on bringing in more entry-level staff.

Instead of focusing on entry-level hires, many companies are placing much greater emphasis on experienced workers, with 30% reporting they are increasing hiring at the mid-level, up from 10% last year.

The survey also found that more than 90% of CEOs say their companies are already using AI in some form. Despite that, many firms are still early in the process, as 67% said that AI projects are still in either planning stages or pilot programs rather than full implementation.