Neither Rich Nor Pretty
AI and Job Market Entry Pathways
Last week, we explored the Everyday AI Revolution — how large language models are becoming quiet co-pilots in our lives, not in some distant future, but seven days a week and twice on Sunday. From drafting emails to analysing complex documents, AI is now a daily utility — ambient, fast, and often surprisingly competent. But that same capability is also reshaping the labour market in subtle, structural ways. This week, we turn the lens to the impact on early-career roles, especially for Gen Z. If AI is already fluent in tasks that once trained junior professionals — legal research, spreadsheet modeling, even basic content writing — then what happens to the scaffolding of career growth? The rise of AI not only raises questions about productivity but also about preparedness, optionality, and how young talent breaks into an economy where the traditional rungs on the ladder are vanishing before they can climb. More on this later.
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DTW
During the Week, one of my favourite writer and business professor Scott Galloway wrote about how AI isn't just reshaping how we work — it's quietly shutting the door on Gen Z before they even step into the labor market. He noted as to how youth unemployment is spiking globally, with entry-level white-collar jobs rapidly disappearing. Tasks once assigned to junior professionals in business, law, finance, and tech are now either automated or completed faster by fewer people. This shift mirrors a deeper trend we’ve been tracking: a transformation of how young people build experience, credibility, and career momentum.
In recent months, there’s been a growing debate over the role of junior team members as artificial intelligence (AI) takes on tasks once reserved for entry-level professionals. As AI and large language models (LLMs) increasingly automate repetitive busywork—everything from drafting basic documents to compiling data for financial models—a pressing question arises: “What happens to entry level jobs?
Over the past few years, we’ve seen how technological advancements have steadily chipped away at the tasks that once served as the training ground for fresh talent. Spreadsheets, word processors, and even rudimentary programming have all reduced the time juniors previously spent learning through repetitive, mundane work. AI is now stepping in to handle many of these tasks, not by replacing human creativity or judgment, but by taking over the low-value, repetitive chores so that professionals can focus on higher-level decision-making.
This shift is both exciting and disconcerting. On one hand, the efficiency gains from using AI to automate simple, repetitive tasks are undeniable. On the other, it raises legitimate concerns about the future role of junior professionals and how they will acquire the hands-on experience that has traditionally been an integral part of career development. What will junior lawyers do if discovery and legal research are automated? How will investment banks nurture the next generation of analysts if basic financial modeling becomes a commodity task? And in marketing, will new team members still have roles beyond being scapegoats for missteps in brand messaging?
From my perspective, this transformation reflects a broader trend in the labour market, where digital transformation is not merely about streamlining operations but about rethinking and rebalancing the value of human skills. The value of junior roles isn’t solely in the output they produce but in the process of learning and development they undergo—an apprenticeship that cultivates tacit wisdom and contextual understanding over time. In a way, LLMs can serve as a rudimentary mentor, providing checklists and guidance when one is unsure of what to do next. However, they are not substitutes for human judgment, creative problem-solving, or the nuanced understanding that comes from real-world experience.
In my previous newsletter, “What's Your Launchpad?”, we discussed building optionality—creating a launchpad for your career where you can pivot, adapt, and continuously learn. This “optional” quality is exactly what junior roles have traditionally offered: a safe space to experiment, fail, learn, and eventually contribute to strategic decisions. But as AI systems improve, they’re beginning to replicate the low-level tasks that once allowed juniors to develop this optionality. This might seem like a loss, but it also presents an opportunity: if repetitive tasks are handled by AI, juniors can be freed up to focus on more strategic, creative, and innovative challenges from the start.
For young professionals entering the workforce, this is a double-edged sword. While the commoditization of routine tasks may narrow the training ground, it simultaneously demands that they quickly develop higher-order skills—such as critical thinking, strategic problem solving, and cross-disciplinary insights—that AI simply cannot replicate. In this evolving landscape, companies that invest in robust training programs and mentorship can help juniors build the soft skills and contextual understanding necessary for long-term success.
The dynamic between automation and human creativity is a fascinating one. When tasks become mechanized, the value of human judgment and intuition becomes even more pronounced. The challenge for organizations is to strike a balance: leveraging AI to eliminate redundancy, while ensuring that the learning and development that underpin career growth are preserved. We are in an era where efficiency meets ingenuity, and the roles of junior team members are evolving rather than disappearing. They will need to become quicker learners, adaptable thinkers, and lifelong learners who harness the power of AI to complement their growth.
As we continue to navigate this transformation, it is essential to build optionality into our career paths which involves creating opportunities for continuous learning and adaptability in a rapidly changing digital landscape. Embrace these changes as a chance to upskill and redefine your role, ensuring that your unique human qualities remain indispensable in the age of AI.
In summary, while AI is redefining the nature of entry-level work and automating many routine tasks, it simultaneously challenges us to reimagine our career development strategies. The key is to harness AI's potential to free up time for meaningful growth while actively cultivating the intangible skills that remain uniquely human.
OTW
Over the Weekend, more festivities were around PBEL CITY when we celebrated Rama Navami with prayers, blessings and prasadam.
I observed the Navratri fasting and felt better everyday. Fasting and endurance both demand discipline — not just of the body, but of the mind. As I take on 11 km daily for 11 days, it is not just building physical stamina, but sharpening focus and resilience.
Like fasting, where the body learns to function efficiently with less, endurance training teaches us to push forward with steady effort. The gains come not in bursts, but through quiet consistency. Each day adds a layer — of strength, grit, and clarity. Together, they remind us that true endurance is built not by doing more, but by showing up, day after day, with purpose.
More Power to ALL of YOU in Your Endeavours.
I Love You
Shailendra
PS- If you are wondering about the Cover Picture, it comes from the following source
https://nymag.com/press/2022/12/extremely-overanalyzing-hollywoods-nepo-baby-boom.html
Thanks