Frozen out | Gen Z grads rethinking careers as CEOs ditch first-time hires for AI

CEOs are putting a hold on hiring first-time employees as artificial intelligence automates entry-level tasks, a Fortune 500 career coach has warned.

Bill Hoogterp, who has spent decades advising thousands of senior executives, said: “There’s definitely pausing on a lot of jobs,” adding that AI is making leaders reassess the value of bringing in new hires.

“They’re saying, ‘hey, we’re not going to hire a lot of first-time lawyers or first-time this or first-time that’, so that’s a huge change, but teams within the company are still hiring,” he explained.

Pressure on Gen Z graduates

The shift is particularly stark for Gen Z graduates, with many already struggling to find stable opportunities. Over 4 million are currently classified as NEETs — not in employment, education, or training.