IBM to Triple Entry-Level US Hiring as AI Reshapes Junior Roles

IBM plans to triple its entry-level hiring in the United States this year, betting that artificial intelligence will transform rather than eliminate the bottom rungs of the corporate ladder, the technology company announced this week.

The move represents a sharp departure from broader labor market trends. Entry-level job postings across the US have fallen 35% since early 2023, according to analytics firm Revelio Labs, as companies have deployed AI tools to automate tasks traditionally assigned to junior employees. IBM's Chief HR Officer Nickle LaMoreaux said the company is instead redesigning these roles to work alongside AI rather than compete against it.

Under the new approach, junior software developers at IBM will spend less time writing code and more time interfacing with clients, while HR staff will use chatbots to handle routine employee questions and intervene only when the technology reaches its limits. The strategy acknowledges AI's strength at automating repetitive work like data organization and basic coding—tasks that have long defined entry-level positions—while redirecting human workers toward higher-value activities.

"Today's entry-level employees are also tomorrow's managers," LaMoreaux told Morning Brew, framing the hiring push as a long-term talent pipeline investment rather than a short-term staffing decision.

IBM isn't alone in reconsidering how junior talent fits into an AI-augmented workplace. Cloud storage company Dropbox announced plans to expand its internship and new-graduate programs by 25%, with Chief People Officer Melanie Rosenwasser telling Bloomberg that younger workers demonstrate stronger AI fluency than their more experienced colleagues—a skill set the company wants to capture and leverage.

The competing strategies highlight an emerging split in how companies are responding to AI's capabilities. Some are reducing headcount at entry levels, viewing automation as a cost-cutting opportunity. Others, like IBM and Dropbox, are betting that workers who learn to collaborate with AI early in their careers will become more valuable as they advance, particularly as the technology continues to evolve.

For finance leaders weighing similar decisions, IBM's approach poses a fundamental question: Is the entry-level role an expense to minimize or an investment in future leadership? The answer may depend on whether AI ultimately proves to be a substitute for junior workers or a tool that makes them more productive—and whether companies can successfully redesign roles fast enough to keep pace with the technology's capabilities.