Graduates of Stanford’s computer science program face difficulty finding jobs as artificial intelligence tools take over tasks once done by junior programmers, the Los Angeles Times reported.
What’s going on?
Technology companies have changed the way they hire. Managers who once had projects with 10 junior coders now achieve the same productivity with a pair of senior developers and an AI assistant.
A Stanford study found that jobs held by coders between the ages of 22 and 25 dropped by nearly 20% after peaking at the end of 2022. The same research showed that positions exposed to AI competition saw 13% fewer new hires than roles less threatened by automation.
The students spoke to LA Times reporters and expressed that they were not optimistic about the job search. Many are staying in school an extra year to earn graduate degrees, hoping to delay their job hunt and build stronger credentials.
“This was a dramatic reversal from three years ago, when all my undergraduate mentees found great jobs at companies around us,” said Jan Liphardt, associate professor of bioengineering at Stanford. “That has changed.”
Why is AI job displacement a concern?
The shift raises questions about workforce stability as AI capabilities grow.
At its debut in 2022, ChatGPT could only produce code in short bursts. Today’s AI can remove code over extended sessions with improved accuracy.
AI expansion underpins power sources as well. Training and running these models requires massive computing power, which increases demand for electricity and water use for cooling data centers. AI can help optimize clean energy grids, but its own resource consumption increases pressure on an already burdened infrastructure.
For young workers, the message is bleak. A diploma from a prestigious school does not promise a job in fields where AI can handle basic tasks faster and cheaper.
What can be done about AI job displacement?
If you’re about to enter the workforce or have college-aged children, consider how education might change.
Some universities are rethinking curricula to prepare students to work with AI rather than compete against it.
Contact your elected officials to support policies that address workforce displacement. Retraining programs and safety nets for workers in industries affected by AI can both be effective solutions.
For those already working in the technology space, focus on developing skills that AI currently struggles with: solving complex problems, system design, and overseeing automated tools.
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