College grads shut out of AI-exposed majors since 2022 are ending up in retail and food service instead of the white-collar jobs they studied for
Fortune 27
College graduates with computer science and other AI-exposed majors faced fewer hiring opportunities after ChatGPT’s release and increasingly moved into lower-paying service and retail roles. Employment for ages 22–24 in the most AI-exposed fifth of industries fell 12% over ten quarters following ChatGPT’s release. Their initial employment odds and earnings dropped, and the gaps shrank only partially over time as hiring volumes recovered on a smaller base.