AI Adoption Makes Job Hunting Harder for Fresh Graduates, Companies Reluctant to Hire

The widespread adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) is having a profound impact on human employment, with companies increasingly turning to AI for greater efficiency and significant productivity gains, often at the expense of jobs. A new phenomenon emerging from this shift is particularly evident in Switzerland, where recent university graduates are struggling to find work as firms reduce the number of junior positions on offer. Research involving an analysis of 7.3 million job advertisements and a survey of more than 3,600 workers highlights this trend. According to a report by the Swiss job portal jobs.ch, the proportion of entry-level vacancies advertised in Switzerland was 32 per cent lower in 2025 compared to the 2019-2022 pre-AI phase. The sectors most affected by this decline include marketing, administration, finance, and IT. The demand for AI skills is also expanding beyond purely technological roles. Job postings for senior positions exposed to AI increased by 26 per cent in 2025, while those for junior staff fell by 16 per cent. Conversely, demand for junior positions remains robust outside of office and research environments, with labour shortages persisting in healthcare, construction, and the trades. This shift is causing significant concern among younger workers, with 41 per cent of survey participants under the age of 25 expressing a fear of becoming obsolete in the workplace due to AI.