dear [Data]

AI is reshaping careers.
Here are the numbers.

Data sourced from the Anthropic Economic Index, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Stanford Digital Economy Lab, and our own research. Updated quarterly.

37-yr
worst entry-level job market since 1988
−17%
entry-level jobs since 2019
42%
recent grads underemployed
49%
of jobs have 25%+ tasks exposed to AI
AI Task Exposure

Which roles are most exposed?

Percentage of occupational tasks where AI can meaningfully assist or automate, based on real Claude usage patterns.

Source: Anthropic Economic Index, O*NET Task Mapping
Entry-Level Jobs

The pipeline is drying up

Entry-level job postings indexed to 2019 baseline (100). The traditional path from graduation to employment is narrowing across industries.

Source: BLS, Indeed Hiring Lab, Lightcast, Brynjolfsson et al. (Stanford, 2025)
Research Spotlight
Brynjolfsson et al.
Stanford Digital Economy Lab
Nov 2025

A common objection: isn't this just ZIRP reversing? Stanford researchers controlled for interest rates and COVID effects and found the entry-level contraction in knowledge work still tracks AI adoption timelines — not rate hikes. The decline started before rates peaked and hit hardest in roles most exposed to AI.

Read “Canaries in the Coal Mine” →
How AI Is Being Used

Augmentation leads, automation follows

Most AI usage today enhances human work rather than replacing it — but automated workflows are growing fastest in API traffic.

Augmentation
Users iterate with AI as a thinking partner
52%
Automation
AI completes tasks with minimal human input
38%
Learning
Users ask AI for explanations and information
10%
Source: Anthropic Economic Index, Claude.ai Usage Data (Feb 2026)
Top AI Tasks

What AI is actually doing at work

The most common occupational tasks performed with Claude, ranked by share of total conversations.

TaskShareTrend
Modify software to correct errors10.2%
Write technical documentation4.8%
Analyze data to identify trends3.9%
Draft business correspondence3.1%
Review financial statements2.7%
Create marketing content2.4%
Translate documents2.1%
Prepare legal briefs1.9%
Source: Anthropic Economic Index, O*NET Task Classification

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