A couple of years ago, when I was a global creative director at Meta, I judged a student project at USC. Three students presented a fully immersive VR experience that would have taken my Meta team 2 to 3 months and $200,000 to build.
They did it in under two weeks. For zero dollars. 🤯
As I lecture on college campuses across the country today, I see this level of mind-blowing talent all the time. The Class of 2026 is the most technically gifted, AI-fluent generation we’ve ever seen.
Yet, the headlines say they can't get jobs.
We’ve all seen the news: 📉 "Worst job market in a generation." 🤖 "CEOs cut entry-level roles because AI can handle them."
I get the allure of AI efficiency. It boosts margins and satisfies investors. But companies are missing a massive piece of the puzzle: the human element.
Here is why replacing entry-level talent with AI is a major mistake:
They aren't fetching coffee: Unlike previous generations, today’s graduates leave school with years of real-world internship experience and access to Silicon Valley-level tools.
AI isn't their threat; it's their playmate: They didn't have to adapt to technology—they grew up in it. They pair with AI as a dynamic duo to supercharge productivity.
You can't automate future leadership: AI doesn't feel excitement. It doesn't breathe life into your company culture, learn from human mistakes, or grow inside your walls to become your next wave of executives.
When you hire a recent grad, you aren't just buying efficiency. You are getting someone with genuine, skin-tingling excitement to put on your company t-shirt on Monday morning and dedicate themselves to your mission.
AI is powerful, but it will never replace top human talent with skin in the game.
To my fellow leaders and hiring managers: Stop looking past this generation. The companies that bet on them today are the ones that will win tomorrow. 🚀
👇 Graduates and hiring managers, what are you seeing out there right now? Let’s talk in the comments.