According to new research from Gartner, the tech research and advisory firm, 22% of chief human resources officers report that at least one business leader in their organisation has stopped hiring for entry-level roles due to AI automation.

The same survey, which was conducted through the last quarter of 2025 and posed questions to 110 heads of HR, also uncovered that 95% of organisations have implemented AI in some capacity over the last year – yet only one-in-five has realised “significant” or “transformational” value.

These stats have been unearthed amid it becoming clear that eliminating entry-level roles is forcing companies to pay premiums for experienced talent who must be hired externally rather than developed internally.

What’s more, by relying on AI automation instead of entry-level workers, fewer low-risk on-the-job opportunities are available to build skills, personal networks, and knowledge over time.

This consequently means that orgs must then reorient early-career development toward performing more complex tasks and navigating higher levels of ambiguity.

“Organisations that respond by cutting their early career talent pipelines altogether risk creating significant workforce challenges down the road,” commented Kaelyn Lowmaster, Director Analyst in the Gartner HR practice.

“Instead of eliminating these early career roles, organisations should redefine them to enable earlier contributions to higher-value work and build the talent they will need in the future.”

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Gartner has identified three approaches CHROs can prioritise to address the growing gap between the capabilities of early-career talent, and the complexity of work required in AI-enabled environments.

Identify Tasks To Shift to Early-career Roles
The research firm advocated for realigning the tasks early-career workers should perform as AI tools and processes become ubiquitous within the workplace.

“Understanding how AI is changing work helps organisations identify opportunities to shift tasks across roles,” said Annika Jessen, Director Analyst in the Gartner HR practice.

“Knowing where AI is freeing up time enables leaders to create new supervisory responsibilities and identify tasks that can safely shift to early career talent.”

Activate Team Support Structures
“Traditional development approaches are no longer sufficient in an AI-enabled environment,” said Meaghan Kelly, Director Analyst in the Gartner HR practice.

“Organisations can’t rely on gradual skill-building through routine work. Instead, they must provide the support structures that allow early career employees to operate effectively in more complex, judgement-intensive roles much earlier in their careers.”

In light of this, Gartner advised that CHROs should partner with business leaders to identify specific risks, and co-design a range of on-the-job learning solutions. Also, HR must lead their organisation to shift from supporting role mastery to driving employee versatility.

Build Developmental Safety Nets
According to Gartner, considering that early-career employees have fewer chances to develop judgement and experiences through day-to-day work, CHROs should build development safety nets.

Organisations can provide such safety nets, such as tools, guidance, and peer connections that help employees navigate ambiguity while minimising mistakes and their impact. CHROs should look to adapt training to focus on business acumen and how employees’ specific actions deliver business value, the firm advised.