CHROs reveal the true impact of AI on early-career roles
People leaders are clearing up that early-career talent roles are not being eliminated because of AI, but expectations on these employees are going up due to the adoption of the technology.
New research from SAP and Wakefield revealed that 88% of chief human resources officers (CHROs) believe AI is making early-career talent become role-ready faster, accelerating how quickly they can become productive in the workplace.
This outlook stems from AI's capability to automate the repetitive, lower-stakes tasks that are usually assigned to early-career talent roles, pushing them to carry out higher-value work early in their careers.
"AI isn't eliminating early-career talent from the workforce; it's reshaping the path they take to become effective and increasing the value of the work they contribute," the report read.
But this acceleration places risks on organisations, according to the report, as it elevates the expectations on early-career talents and potentially removes their opportunities to build long-term skills.
"But with AI removing the mundane work, it may also remove many of the gradual, hands-on learning moments that once helped new hires build experience over time," the report read.
Addressing AI's impact
The solution is to redesign early-career roles that can still allow for learning pathways even with AI taking over most of their tasks.
"As repetitive tasks disappear, organisations have the opportunity to deliberately create new ways for early talent to build communication, collaboration, critical thinking, and decision-making skills," the report read.
"This can include structured, project-based experiences, clearer decision-making frameworks, and more frequent coaching that focuses on judgement and prioritisation, not just task completion."
Amid greater expectations, people leaders should also redesign entry-level roles around higher-value work where they can feel supported.
"Early-career employees are capable of contributing more strategically when roles are designed with the right balance of scope and support," the report read.
"Redesigning entry‑level positions to include clear ownership—supported by explicit expectations, mentoring, and well‑defined guidance for decisions and escalation—helps early‑career talent build confidence while managing risk."
AI governance should also be established on day one in order to reduce the ue of shadow AI, while consistent AI access and training should be provided to ensure new hires are equipped to meet accelerated demands without getting burned out.
"When early‑career talent becomes productive sooner, companies can move faster, innovate earlier, and operate more efficiently, but only if that speed is matched with structure, coaching, and intentional development," the report read.
"Organisations that navigate this transition successfully will ensure early talent doesn’t just ramp up faster, but also builds the judgment, collaboration, and critical‑thinking skills that AI can’t replace."
