More than one-third of entry-level jobs now ask for AI skills: what freshers should learn
25 October 2026 · 2 min read · HireHo
Based on the NACE Job Outlook 2026 Spring Update (US employers). Summarised in our own words.
A spring 2026 update from NACE, the US association for college career services and employers, says that more than one-third of entry-level jobs now require AI skills. That is nearly triple the share employers reported in fall 2025.
What the survey found
- 28% of employers are looking for early-career hires who can use AI in their work.
- Nearly 60% give interns projects that use AI tools.
- About 20% are discussing how AI may change job design and staffing.
- Only 11% are discussing AI replacing some positions.
- More than half say AI has not reduced the tasks entry-level workers do. A little over one-quarter say it has reduced the need for some of those tasks.
How to read this
The survey was run from 12 February to 17 March 2026 and had 185 employer respondents, most of them NACE members in the United States. It is useful as a signal of direction, but it is a small survey and not a count of Indian jobs.
What freshers in India can do
- Learn to use AI assistants for everyday work: drafting, summarising, research and spreadsheets.
- Add one line to your CV about how you used an AI tool to finish a real task, with a result.
- Do not skip basics. Employers still want communication, reliability and domain knowledge.
- If you are looking for field, sales, service or technical roles, AI skills help with tools and reports, but your trade skill still decides the job.
AI is changing which tasks come first in a job. It is not removing the need for new people, and most employers in this survey are still planning to hire early-career talent.