IBM Plans to Triple US Entry-Level Hiring in 2026, With Different Job Descriptions
The usual story is that AI is wiping out entry-level tech jobs. IBM is making the opposite bet, and the details of how it is doing so are worth reading.
What IBM said
TechCrunch reported, citing Bloomberg, that IBM plans to triple entry-level hiring in the US in 2026. An IBM executive, LaMoreaux, acknowledged these are the same jobs people are told AI can do. IBM did not say how many people it would hire.
The roles are not unchanged. According to the report, the job descriptions were rewritten to focus less on work AI can automate, such as coding, and more on people-facing work like engaging with customers. IBM’s reasoning is that developing less experienced workers now builds the pipeline for higher-level roles later.
The wider picture
IBM is one company, and the broader data is mixed. IEEE Spectrum cited a SignalFire report finding that entry-level hiring at the 15 biggest tech firms fell 25% from 2023 to 2024, while noting it is unclear whether AI is the cause. The same piece pointed out that Meta laid off 600 people from its AI division in October 2025 while OpenAI began hiring junior software engineers. Malan, quoted there, said security analyst and AI engineer roles are growing while programmer roles have declined by double digits.
TechCrunch also noted that a 2025 MIT study estimated 11.7% of jobs could likely already be automated by AI.
What this suggests for students
One employer’s plan is not a market trend, so treat it as a signal rather than proof. The signal is about which entry-level work survives. Pure code production is the part most exposed. Communication, working with customers, and judgment about what to build are the parts IBM is emphasizing.
- Practice explaining technical decisions to non-technical people.
- Pick up a domain, such as finance, health or logistics, so you are more than a coder.
- Treat AI coding tools as something you direct and check, not something you compete with.
My take
I think IBM’s move is real. IBM seems to believe AI can handle much of the junior coding work, so it is pointing new hires toward customer-facing work, which still needs people. I’d guess it still needs senior engineers to oversee what the AI produces, but that’s my prediction, not something IBM said. It’s one company, so I’d read it as a signal, not proof of where all entry-level work is heading.