Chief executives are quietly reshaping the job market—and it’s not good news for people just starting out. More than 40% of global CEOs now plan to cut junior roles over the next one to two years, according to a survey of 1,500 leaders by Oliver Wyman. That’s nearly double the share from just a year ago, when just 22% of CEOs prioritized reducing entry-level positions. The shift is happening as companies turn to artificial intelligence to handle routine tasks, making experienced workers more valuable than ever. “I think the junior level is definitely finding it harder now to enter the workforce,” said John Romeo, who leads the Oliver Wyman Forum’s research arm. “It’s those mid- and senior-level employees that CEOs are now looking at to drive productivity and innovation.” The numbers reflect a stark reversal: in 2024, only 17% of CEOs planned to cut mid- or senior-level roles, but this year, that figure has jumped to 40%. Meanwhile, just 17% of CEOs now see junior roles as critical to their workforce composition—a number that stood at 40% in the previous survey. The trend is especially pronounced in industries like finance, consulting, and technology, where AI tools are automating everything from data entry to basic coding. Older workers aren’t just surviving this shift—they’re thriving. Companies are increasingly prioritizing employees with deep institutional knowledge, problem-solving skills, and the ability to mentor younger colleagues over fresh graduates who need extensive training. This dynamic is creating a paradox: while AI eliminates routine jobs, it’s also making human judgment and experience more indispensable. The shift isn’t just about who gets hired—it’s about who gets fired. In many organizations, junior roles are the first to go when budgets tighten or AI tools take over. A recent report from McKinsey found that companies using AI to automate repetitive tasks reduced their entry-level hiring by 30% over the past year. Meanwhile, roles requiring five or more years of experience grew by 15%. This isn’t just a corporate trend—it’s a workforce earthquake. For young professionals, the message is clear: the entry-level path isn’t what it used to be. Internships and apprenticeships, once seen as stepping stones, are now a lifeline. But even those aren’t guaranteed. “The junior market is getting more competitive,” said Sarah Chen, a career coach based in San Francisco. “Companies are hiring fewer people at the bottom, and those who do get in are expected to hit the ground running.” The ripple effects are already being felt. Universities are reporting a decline in applications for entry-level business and tech programs, as students hedge their bets by pursuing advanced degrees or certifications. High schools are pushing students toward vocational training in trades like plumbing or electrician work, where AI hasn’t made as deep an inroad. Even liberal arts majors are pivoting, adding technical skills to their resumes to make themselves more competitive. But it’s not all bad news for newcomers. Some industries, like healthcare and education, still face labor shortages and are actively recruiting junior talent. And in fields like AI ethics or user experience design, companies are desperate for fresh perspectives—even if those perspectives come from less-experienced hires. The bigger question is whether this shift will last. AI is evolving fast, and no role is truly safe from automation. But for now, companies are betting on experience over youth. “We’re in a moment where institutional knowledge is being valued more than ever,” said Romeo. “It’s not about age—it’s about what you know and how quickly you can apply it.”

What You Need to Know

  • Source: Fortune
  • Published: May 16, 2026 at 23:13 UTC
  • Category: Business
  • Topics: #fortune · #business · #economy · #machine-learning · #oliver-wyman

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Curated by GlobalBR News · May 16, 2026

🇧🇷 Resumo em Português

A inteligência artificial está prestes a inverter a lógica do mercado de trabalho, colocando trabalhadores mais experientes em vantagem pela primeira vez em décadas. Segundo uma pesquisa global com CEOs, 40% das empresas já planejam reduzir cargos iniciais, enquanto a valorização de profissionais mais velhos ganha força num cenário de transformação tecnológica acelerada.

No Brasil, esse movimento ganha contornos ainda mais relevantes, pois a mão de obra envelhece rapidamente – segundo o IBGE, a população com 50 anos ou mais já representa quase 30% dos brasileiros em idade ativa. Empresas que antes priorizavam jovens recém-formados agora buscam perfis com experiência para operar e supervisionar sistemas de IA, reduzindo custos com treinamentos longos e apostando em conhecimentos consolidados. Além disso, a tendência pode agravar a desigualdade regional, já que regiões menos desenvolvidas, onde a mão de obra mais jovem é mais abundante, podem sofrer com a falta de oportunidades.

Para os profissionais brasileiros, o recado é claro: investir em atualização constante e habilidades complementares à IA será tão crucial quanto a própria experiência.

🇪🇸 Resumen en Español

La inteligencia artificial está reconfigurando el mercado laboral, y los trabajadores mayores podrían ser los grandes beneficiados. Según un reciente informe global de CEOs, el 40% de las empresas planea reducir puestos junior en los próximos años, una tendencia que otorga mayor poder de negociación a perfiles con más experiencia.

El estudio, que analiza el impacto de la IA en la contratación, revela que las compañías priorizan perfiles senior —especialmente en sectores como tecnología y finanzas— por su capacidad para gestionar equipos y procesos complejos. Para los hispanohablantes, esto implica una oportunidad para revalorizar su capital humano, pero también un llamado a adaptarse rápidamente a las nuevas herramientas digitales. La brecha generacional en el empleo podría reducirse si los jóvenes complementan su formación con habilidades técnicas, mientras los mayores consolidan su liderazgo en un entorno laboral más automatizado. El desafío será que las empresas no descuiden la formación continua, clave para mantener la competitividad en esta transición.