A growing number of business leaders are warning that using AI to eliminate entry-level or junior employee roles may be a short-sighted decision. Rather than simply cutting costs, such a move could undermine the long-term health of an organization’s talent pipeline. Entry-level workers often serve as the foundation for future growth, learning how to solve real-world problems, build domain knowledge, and adapt to changing technologies — experiences that AI, despite its power, doesn’t provide.
Amazon Web Services CEO Matt Garman strongly criticized the idea, calling it “one of the dumbest things I’ve ever heard.” He argues that junior staff are among the least expensive employees but are also some of the most engaged with AI tools. By replacing them, companies risk removing the people who are best positioned to be trained and mentored into tomorrow’s senior roles.
Moreover, experts suggest that automating too aggressively at the bottom of the talent ladder may weaken intergenerational knowledge transfer. Without younger employees learning on-the-job, institutional memory and the ability to innovate over time could suffer. If AI takes over routine tasks, there may be fewer opportunities for human workers to build judgment, leadership and problem-solving skills.
Finally, the move could backfire strategically. While using AI to handle simpler tasks may look efficient now, companies that eliminate junior roles could struggle later with growth, succession planning, and cultural continuity. As leaders invest in AI, they must also think about how to grow and retain human talent — ensuring that their future workforce isn’t hollowed out in the name of short-term gains.
