Predictions of upcoming doom say humans will no longer be needed to perform any jobs once AI (artificial intelligence) is more widely used. And lately, the news reports tell us that companies have had or are planning major layoffs. These staff cutbacks are often being attributed to Ai. Furthermore, it has been said that companies are hiring fewer entry level workers, allegedly because tasks at that level can be handled by AI. Yet, recent media reports are communicating mixed messages about this issue. And, somewhat surprisingly, it is being reported that Sam Altman, who heads ChatGPT maker OpenAI, is now saying that AI will not cause massive unemployment.
Recent Wall Street Journal articles do mention major layoffs or tell of more companies reducing their entry level hiring. However, not all the news is so pessimistic. The article titled “AI’s Stark Choice: Cut Jobs or Stretch Workforce” by Chip Cutter and Amy Lindsay Ellis in the May 6, 2006 Wall Street Journal was subtitled “Split Emerges Among Bosses Over Best Use of Staff as Technology Increases Efficiency.” The article reported that, in some companies, employees whose jobs will take less time due to AI are being asked to do more. Thus, more gets done, rather than jobs being eliminated.
Although it seems like the media has been telling us often about AI’s potential to destroy jobs, another recent Wall Street Journal article points out that this negative narrative is not always the case. The article ran in the May 30-31, 2026 issue and was titled “The First Class of AI Natives Is Coming to the Office” and was written by Allison Pohle and Roshan Fernandez. The article says, “Among companies investing in AI, three times as many said they expected it to boost entry level hiring this year than decrease it. Still the share cutting back on junior hires grew to 17% from 13% in 2025.”
So, though we often seem to hear about the job cuts and there is some talk of those cuts being due to AI, it appears that there is still considerable hiring, even at the junior level. A third recent Wall Street Journal article on this was “AI Is Changing How Consultants Get Paid—and Much More, BCG’s CEO Says“ by Chip Cutter in the May 30-31, 2026 issue. The article says, “Reorienting BCG around AI is now a primary focus for” Boston Consulting Group’s CEO. The article’s format is that of an interview with Boston Consulting Group CEO who says “So perhaps a bit counter to many narratives out there, we have not reduced our junior intake.”
As I see it, since BCG’s CEO is referring to the narrative, he is essentially confirming that there has been quite a bit of emphasis out there on the viewpoint that AI is reducing entry level hiring. Yet, BCG is a counter example of this, illustrating that some companies are still hiring at the junior level. As I have said in my previous writing, the old way of doing things will endure despite the advent of new technology, if there are still benefits to doing things the old way. And, it appears that there are still benefits to hiring entry level staffers despite today’s heavy emphasis on AI and on layoffs.
Finally, a recent Linked In post revealed what seems like the ultimate reversal regarding AI and jobs. A recent email from Linked In said, “The leaders of Open AI and Anthropic are revising their narratives” and are no longer saying AI will bring massive job loss. There has been some speculation that this shifting narrative about AI’s future is occurring as an IPO (initial public offering) precursor in the AI space.
In conclusion, it is possible that the narrative on AI is truly showing signs of shifting. Although AI can do things that humans cannot do, its capabilities are still limited. And, recent signals regarding AI’s job loss potential are not as bleak as the dire situation that had been previously predicted.
