IBM Plans to Triple US Entry-Level Hiring in 2026, With Different Job Descriptions

Sat, 03 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

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.

Is AI Really Behind the Entry-Level Tech Slump? What the Evidence Supports and What It Doesn't

Sat, 03 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Companies increasingly cite AI when they cut staff, and headlines about struggling computer science graduates usually do the same. But “AI was mentioned” and “AI caused it” are different claims. Here is what the sources support.

Evidence that points to AI

More cuts are attributed to AI. Challenger data cited by Computerworld shows AI blamed for 40% of tech job cuts in May, up from 7% in January.
Employers are shifting code work to AI. The AP reports that Microsoft, Meta and Google are using AI for a larger share of code writing.
Some cuts are genuinely driven by AI adoption. The SkillSyncer tracker says this applies to many layoffs at the biggest companies.

Evidence that points elsewhere

The slowdown started earlier. An On EdTech analysis, published as sponsored content on Higher Ed Dive, argues that the downturn in new-graduate hiring began before generative AI was widely adopted, and that AI may be speeding it up without being the main driver. Because it is sponsored content, weigh it accordingly.
Too many graduates for the openings. The AP says the elevated jobless rate partly reflects the large number of students who enrolled during the coding boom.
A pandemic hangover. Futurism describes companies embracing AI tools while cutting entry-level roles and pulling back from COVID-era over-hiring.
Blame can be convenient. SkillSyncer acknowledges that some companies attribute to AI cuts they would have made regardless.

What is still unclear