Artificial intelligence is changing the job market. But it is not affecting everyone in the same way. For some, AI is taking over jobs. For others, it is becoming a helpful tool. It all depends on how AI is used.
A new study from Stanford University shows that young workers are losing out the most. The research, by Erik Brynjolfsson, Ruyu Chen, and Bharat Chandar, looked at payroll data from ADP covering millions of U.S. workers between late 2022 (when ChatGPT launched) and mid-2025. The results are clear. Workers aged 22 to 25 in AI-heavy industries like software development and customer service have seen big drops in job opportunities.
The biggest impact is on junior software developers. Entry-level tasks like writing simple code or debugging can now be done quickly by AI. Because of this, jobs for young developers in these roles have fallen by 13 to 16 percent since 2022.
But the story is very different for experienced professionals. In some cases, their jobs have even grown. Why? Because AI can copy book knowledge, but it struggles with judgment, problem-solving, and leadership—the skills that come with experience.
Overall, industries like tech and customer service are not collapsing. Companies are still hiring, but they are pulling back on fresh graduates instead of cutting older staff or reducing pay. Wages remain steady, which suggests firms are adjusting by slowing down recruitment, not by shrinking entire teams.
So, what does this mean? AI is not removing whole industries. It is changing the shape of the workforce. Simple, repetitive tasks—like customer queries or basic coding—are being automated. But in jobs where AI is more of an assistant, employment is stable or even growing.
For young workers, this is worrying. Entry-level jobs have always been the first step to building experience and moving up. If AI takes over those beginner tasks, it becomes much harder to get that first opportunity.
The study also questions how schools and universities prepare students. Many courses still teach coding and technical skills that AI can now handle. Instead, experts say future workers should focus on skills AI is weaker at: problem-solving, leadership, creativity, and working with people. Learning how to use AI itself should also become a core skill.
The debate on AI and jobs has gone back and forth for years. Some studies said AI had little impact. Others warned of mass job losses. This new Stanford study is the strongest evidence yet that AI is reshaping work—and that young workers are paying the highest price.
For now, it is clear: AI is not ending industries. But it is leaving behind recent graduates and junior employees in the most exposed sectors, while experienced professionals continue to move ahead.
