A compelling Stanford University study, using high-frequency payroll data from ADP, reveals a striking trend: entry-level employment in AI-exposed roles such as software development and customer support has declined by around 13% since late 2022. This shift coincides with the proliferation of generative AI tools like ChatGPT and Copilot, which can now perform routine coding, query resolution, report drafting, and email summarization making junior roles especially vulnerable.

Experienced professionals, on the other hand, retain roles tied to strategic decision-making, mentorship, and client interfacing—functions AI cannot easily replicate. With AI adoption, firms tend to rely on senior staff to manage and supervise AI tools, while freshers less integrated are more expendable. As the data-backed conclusion notes, if work is automatable rather than augmentable, it's at higher risk of replacement. The fallout is concerning: with fewer stepping stones available, freshers struggle to enter the workforce, potentially leading to a generational talent gap that could come back to haunt companies and economies later on.