College graduates this year are not finding jobs. AI is partly to blame – “What actually can I do as a human who’s a recent graduate that some robot isn’t going to take over?” asked one recent graduate. Michelle Del Rey reports on the students trapped without a next step
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/college-graduates-2025-job-outlook-ai-b2754814.html
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From the article
So far, Jenna has applied to roughly 100 other roles but the competition in the data science field is fierce and she is struggling to stand out to AI models sifting through resumes.
“I have no idea what this AI is trained to look for,” she said. “I have no idea what the buzzwords are. I don’t know what the algorithm is… So I just feel like it’s even more of a crap shoot.”
Compounding the matter is her fear of AI taking over the work she wanted to do.
“What actually can I do as a human who’s a recent graduate that some robot isn’t going to take over?” she asked.
The worry is valid: the unemployment rate in the tech sector has risen to 5.7 percent this year, as billions are being spent to implement AI across the industry. Routine, mundane tasks usually given to new grads, such as reporting and clerical administration, have now been replaced by AI.
But AI bros said that the government would pay people and that ai would get rid of the need for jobs.
Are you telling me those true imbeciles were wrong? No way
The class of 2025 just graduated into a system that doesnt even need them. That’s the part nobody planned for.
Pretty sure is due to the incoming global economy depression, and constant threat of WW 3.
It isn’t AI. It is more erosion of the middle class my wealthy elites. AI is an easy scapegoat.
AI is not to blame; I hate AI and I do think it should be outlawed if not decommodified. But it is corporations and CEO’s to blame; not the tools. They could have business that rely and use humans instead of AI. And they are choosing not to.
The tragic irony is students are punished if they utilize AI in their work while it’s replacing them in the workforce. At minimum, we need to equip students with the toolset they need to survive in a world where those same tools are being applied against them.
Graduation, evaluation and study effort doesn’t equal to actual employment and quality of work.
With all the due respect, sometimes people need to look at what the world needs before intraprending certain studies or careers.
It doesn’t mean giving up on your dream job, it oftentimes means having to adapt. In today’s world, a person who knows how to utilise AI tools has more advantages than someone who doesn’t.
I think the value of a 4 year degree is fading. Unless you are exceptional and started coding at age 5. U r cooked !!!!.
I told my nephew stay away from the colleges. I got him into a 2 year welding program. He finished in 14 months, and started working right out of school. He makes around $45/hr right now, and owns his own home. He’s only 29. Get into the trades.
Learn a trade. Buy a bread route. Buy a tortilla route. Buy a FedEx route.
Over staffing in Covid, over investment in GPUs and Trumponomics are to blame. AI hasn’t even got started.
“SkyNet becomes self aware.”
We’re now quite a few years beyond the fictional date of August 29, 1997, however, we are closer to it happening than I’d like to acknowledge.
Join the trades. Push trade schools. I don’t see robots taking over residential trade work.
I went back to school 30 years ago for a BS in crop and soil science and work in the ag industry. I’ll retire in 6 years. In my sector, the most basic outdoor labor is beginning to be replaced by autonomous machines. The positions I currently hire seasonal labor for will be eliminated within 5-10 years as these units learn and improve. I’ll be gone by then, but if I didn’t adapt and buy these fucking things they’d hire someone who would. It’s going to get weird, not just for college grads, but for actual skilled labor. Keep wondering who’s going to pay taxes to keep the lights on if everything’s getting done by autonomous machinery..not great. Feels like trouble when the basic building blocks of economic contribution, worth, and meaning start being eliminated. Nowhere near the brink, but if I remember correctly, wars and killing starts getting more likely when people’s access to jobs/money/food/housing gets eliminated or taken away by the aristocracy/wealthy.
If you think AI is the cause and not the shitshow running our government then I’ve got a bridge to sell you.
This has been an issue for the better part of a decade. Even before then jobs like switchboard operators and other menial tasks were phased out for automated systems.
The glaring issue is a majority of the jobs being replaced aren’t seeing other jobs created because of it. The efficiency increasing is pretty much strictly for the benefit of shareholders and executives because the commoners meant to stimulate the economy are being priced out of almost every ‘luxury’.
More paying jobs can always be created if that’s our goal.
The question is: is that a good idea?
I don’t think so. I think it’s past time to *stop* creating jobs and start implementing a UBI instead.
The longer we put off UBI and remain stuck to our jobs-and-wages paradigm, the more we will end up creating unnecessary jobs as an *excuse* to distribute incomes.
The need for a UBI is already here; labor-saving technology isn’t science fiction. We very likely don’t need anywhere near as much employment in the world as we have today.
If we don’t learn to value prosperity and leisure time for their own sake, we’re going to waste natural resources and people’s time propping up a needlessly high level employment.
To a significant degree this is already happening. The optimal level of UBI is not $0.
The most important thing is to focus on jobs that require having arms. If you could potentially do the job you’re training for without arms then it’s probably not worth going to school for.
Get into the trades. All other jobs are likely replaceable in the next 20 years.