Lukasz Swiatek from the University of New South Wales discusses what technological advances could mean for future graduates.
The head of the International Monetary Fund, Kristalina Georgiaieva, he has warned young people will suffer the most as the AI ”tsunami” wipes out many entry-level roles in the coming years.
“The jobs that are being completed are usually high-quality jobs at the moment, so young people looking for jobs are finding it difficult to find a good place.”
Georgieva is not alone. Some in economics and business experts be he warned about AI taking over entry-level jobs.
As young people prepare to start or continue their university studies, they may be concerned about what AI means for their career prospects. What is the current research? And how can you prepare for a post-AI workforce while learning?
The situation around the world
Currently, the impact of AI is uneven and depends on the industry.
2025 report from US think tank the Brookings Institution suggests, in general, the adoption of AI has led to employment and firm growth. Most importantly, AI has not led to widespread job losses.
At the same time, a consulting company McKinsey he notes that many businesses are experimenting with AI and restructuring the way they work. Therefore, some organizations are looking for employees with technical skills.
Most importantly, AI affects each industry differently. Therefore, we may see fewer entry-level jobs in some industries, but more in others, or the growth of specialized roles.
For example, international researchers they have noticed agriculture has been slow to adopt AI. In contrast, my colleagues and me they found that AI is rapidly being used in media and communications, already affecting jobs from advertising to the entertainment industries. Here we see storyboard illustrators, copywriters and visual effects artists (among others) increasingly being replaced by AI.
Therefore, students need to carefully look at specific data about their chosen industry (or industries) to understand the current situation and forecasted trends.
To do this, you can check academic research about the impact of AI on industries around the world, as well as industry news sites and free industry newsletters.
Prepare yourself while you study
Obviously students can build their knowledge and skills with AI while learning.
Specifically, students should look to move from “AI knowledge” to “AI knowledge”. This means understanding not only how AI works in industry, but also how it can be used in new ways in different situations.
If these elements are not provided for your course, you can check online guides and certain courses offered by universities, TAFE or other providers.
Students who are already familiar with AI can continue to expand their knowledge and skills. These students can find the latest research at the biggest publishers in the world and stay up to date with other AI research issues.
For students who are not really interested in AI, it is still important to start familiarizing themselves with the technology. In my researchI suggest starting curiosity with three key elements: possibilities, concerns and questions. These three things can be especially helpful for the development of the industry as a whole: how AI is used, what problems it raises, and the implications that still need to be considered.
Free (online) courses, such as AI for everyone again AI stuffIt can help to familiarize almost everyone with technology.
To strengthen other skills
All students, no matter how familiar they are with AI, can also focus on developing general skills that can be applied across the industry. US researchers they identified six “enduring capabilities” of the AI era:
- It works well communicationto interact effectively with others.
- Good adaptabilityresponding to workplace, industrial and wider societal changes.
- It is strong emotional intelligenceto help everyone succeed at work.
- High quality intelligenceworking with AI in new ways.
- The sound leadershipto help navigate the challenges posed by AI.
- It is strong critical thinkingto address AI-related issues.
So, look for opportunities to develop these skills inside and outside the classroom. This may include taking part in a group activity, joining a club or society, doing voluntary work, or gaining paid work experience.
Don’t forget ethics
Finally, students need to consider the ethical issues created by these new technologies. Research suggests AI is bringing behavioral changes across industries and students need to know how to deal with AI challenges.
For example, they need to feel confident when dealing with questions about when to use AI and not to use it, and whether the impact of natural technology outweighs its benefits in different contexts.
Students he can do this through focused discussions with classmates, conducted by teachers to make fun of problems. They can also take courses dedicated to the ethics of AI.
Written by Lukasz Swiatek
Lectures by Lukasz Swiatek at the School of Arts and Media UNSW Sydney. His main areas of research are media and communication, higher education and cultural studies. Over the years, he has taught a range of postgraduate and undergraduate courses – in media studies, communication, and international and global studies – at universities in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand.
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