Generative AI expected to accelerate entry-level career progress across industries

A new study from the Capgemini Research Institute shows that workers and bosses are excited about how AI could shake up starter jobs across many fields.

The research suggests that this tech might change early-career positions and could boost output, but it would also mean these jobs would focus more on checking AI-created work instead of making content from scratch.

The study comes from a worldwide poll done in May 2024. It asked 1,500 people from 500 companies in 15 countries and 11 industries. Each company had three higher-ups at different levels and two new hires take part.

The report also includes thoughts from 15 long talks with industry experts to give a full picture of how AI might affect the workforce. In the next year, those interviewed think AI could handle about a third (32%) of entry-level work giving staff time to do other things.

Also, as AI tools become a bigger part of daily work, six out of ten bosses and 71% of workers believe that within three years starter jobs will change. They’ll focus more on overseeing what AI produces rather than creating content or doing analysis themselves.

The study also shows that 78% of leaders and managers think AI will boost their ability to solve problems and make decisions in the next three years. More than half expect that as AI takes on routine work, managers will need to specialise more in pushing them to tackle tougher, strategic issues.

Workers think AI could save them about 18% of their time in the coming year. This could make them more productive and let them focus on more important tasks. But this change brings challenges, as most workers don’t have the training to use Gen AI tools well right now.

The study points out that companies will need to change to allow smooth teamwork between people and AI systems. Right now, 46% of teams use AI to improve their current ways of working, but a third are already trying out AI as a “team member” that can handle set tasks on its own. As AI systems get better, they could play a bigger role in making decisions and giving out tasks. In fact, 13% of teams think they’ll use AI in a supervisory role within the next year.

“Generative AI tools are becoming more adept at assisting with complex managerial tasks, which could challenge the status quo of organisational structure and ways of working,” said Roshan Gya, CEO of Capgemini Invent. “Generative AI has the potential to shift from a co-pilot to a co-thinker, capable of strategic collaboration, adding new perspectives and challenging assumptions. This shift could unlock significant value when tailored to specific business use cases but is dependent on several factors, including organisations prioritising building the skills and readiness of employees, taking proactive steps around talent acquisition and development.”