I was at a tech meetup recently and overheard some HR people from machine learning companies talking about their hiring approach. They mentioned that they’re rethinking how many entry-level positions to post because they think AI tools can handle a lot of the basic work that new hires usually do.
This got me thinking about what this means for people just starting their careers in tech. Are we seeing a real shift where companies expect even junior developers to have more advanced skills right from the start?
Has anyone else noticed changes in job requirements or heard similar conversations? I’m curious if this is just talk or if there are actual changes happening in how companies build their teams.
Funny timing on this discussion - I just went through hiring where this exact thing happened. Three months ago we planned to hire five junior developers but only posted two positions. The interview process completely changed. We ditched asking candidates to write basic CRUD operations or simple sorting algorithms. Instead, we gave them AI-generated code with intentional bugs and had them find problems and suggest fixes. The candidates who nailed it weren’t the ones with perfect GPAs or flashy GitHub repos. They were the ones who quickly spotted inefficient or incomplete AI suggestions and asked smart questions about edge cases the automated tools missed. What surprised me most? This shift actually helped some non-traditional candidates. People with strong analytical backgrounds from other fields did better than expected because they approached AI output with healthy skepticism. Companies still need fresh perspectives and people willing to learn, but now the learning curve includes mastering human-AI collaboration instead of just programming fundamentals.
I’ve watched this happen at my company over the past year. We used to hire entire cohorts of new grads for basic testing, documentation, and simple feature work. Now we bring in maybe half that number.
AI does handle a lot of grunt work we used to give junior devs. Code reviews are partially automated, basic documentation writes itself, and simple API integrations barely need human oversight.
But here’s what I tell worried people - the bar hasn’t really moved up that much. Companies still need junior people, but now they want folks who can work alongside these tools instead of doing what the tools replaced.
I just hired two new grads last month. What got them the job wasn’t advanced algorithms knowledge. It was showing they could take AI generated code, understand it, modify it intelligently, and catch when it screws up.
Smart companies realize that if you only hire senior people, you have no pipeline. You still need junior folks, but the role looks different now. Less copying boilerplate, more critical thinking about AI output.
I’ve been through this as a hiring manager at a mid-size fintech. The reality? It’s somewhere between panic and dismissal. We cut entry-level positions by about 30% this year, but it wasn’t just AI replacing junior work. The real problem is AI creates a weird skill gap. New grads actually struggle more with AI-assisted development than you’d think - they don’t have the foundation to tell if the generated code is garbage. I’ve watched junior devs accept awful AI code because they couldn’t spot antipatterns or security holes. We changed our onboarding instead of axing junior roles completely. First month now focuses on teaching new hires how to prompt AI tools properly and critically evaluate what comes out. The ones who make it treat AI like a smart but unreliable assistant, not some all-knowing oracle. Companies eliminating all junior positions are screwing themselves. You need people who’ll grow with your tech stack and culture, not expensive consultants who’ll bail in two years.
This feels overblown to me. Yeah, AI writes basic code but it breaks constantly and needs fixing. Junior devs aren’t going anywhere - they’ll just spend less time on boilerplate and more time debugging AI mistakes. Might actually be better training since you learn faster fixing broken code than writing from scratch.
AI companies are rethinking how they hire new graduates as automation reshapes job roles. Instead of routine skills, they now prioritize adaptability, creativity, and the ability to work alongside AI tools. Companies like Agentra focus on candidates who can design smarter workflows and leverage AI for innovation and efficiency. This shift reflects the growing demand for human-AI collaboration in the modern workplace.