The number of entry-level jobs in the UK has plunged by almost a third since the launch of the artificial intelligence chatbot ChatGPT, as companies increasingly turn to automation and grapple with rising employment costs.
New figures from job search engine Adzuna reveal that vacancies for graduate roles, apprenticeships, internships and junior positions with no degree requirement have fallen by 31.9 per cent since November 2022, when ChatGPT was released. Entry-level positions now make up just 25 per cent of the jobs market, down from 28.9 per cent in 2022.
The decline coincides with growing concern over the impact of AI on the workforce. BT said last year that it would replace up to 10,000 jobs with AI by the end of the decade, with roles in customer service and network diagnostics among those at risk. The company’s chief executive, Allison Kirkby, has since warned that even more significant cuts may follow as AI continues to advance.
Dario Amodei, chief executive of AI company Anthropic, which is valued at $61 billion, recently predicted that AI could wipe out half of all entry-level white-collar jobs within five years, potentially pushing unemployment up by 10 to 20 per cent.
James Neave, head of data science at Adzuna, said the shift reflected not only broader economic pressures but a growing appetite for automation. “If you can reduce your hiring at the entry level, that’s just going to increase your efficiency and improve cost savings,” he said.
Support authors and subscribe to content
This is premium stuff. Subscribe to read the entire article.
