# AI hits entry-level jobs for younger workers the hardest — study > Source: > Published: 2026-08-25 19:25:30+00:00 AI has already begun to impact the job market and primarily affects young people early in their careers, according to a [recent study by researchers at Stanford University](https://digitaleconomy.stanford.edu/publication/canaries-in-the-coal-mine-six-facts-about-the-recent-employment-effects-of-artificial-intelligence/). The researchers analyzed anonymized salary data from the HR platform ADP and compared occupations that are affected by AI to varying degrees to develop their findings, [Ars Technica reported](https://arstechnica.com/ai/2026/08/ai-is-hitting-entry-level-jobs-hardest-stanford-study-finds/). Among people aged 22 to 25, employment in the occupations most exposed to AI is now 19% lower than in positions less exposed to AI. Last year, the difference was 13%. When looking at the labor market more broadly, the differences are significantly smaller. Older and more experienced workers have not been affected in the same way. According to the researchers, this is primarily because [fewer young people are being hired in AI-exposed occupations](https://www.computerworld.com/article/4089594/ai-related-layoffs-often-hit-entry-level-roles-young-workers.html), rather than existing employees being laid off. The decline among young people is also most evident in occupations where AI can be used to replace specific tasks. In cases where AI is used instead to complement employees’ work, the picture is significantly more mixed.