CHARLOTTE — Students across the country are preparing to graduate this spring, but many are feeling uncertain about the workforce as AI continues to change jobs in almost every field.
Thomas Rich is a high school junior. As he researches colleges, he says he’s also thinking about how AI could affect his career plans.
“Which professions can I look at in 10 years, 15 years, 50 years down the line, whatever it may be, that are still gonna be there?” Rich said.
Jon Carson, the founder and CEO of the College Guidance Network, has surveyed hundreds of parents about the growing concern and a seemingly common theme has emerged among them.
“There’s a level of anxiety that we are detecting amongst parents,” he said. “About what is AI going to mean for my kid’s future?”
New research from Goldman Sachs shows about 16,000 jobs have been erased per month over the last year because of advancements in artificial intelligence. Most of them were entry-level positions.
“It’s not AI that’s gonna take your job,” Aaron Smith, a college and career counselor at Newburyport High School, said. “It’s actually somebody using AI better than you.”
According to a 2026 study by Anthropic, the top five jobs most at risk for getting replaced by AI are: computer programmers, customer service reps, data entry workers, medical record specialists and market research analysts.
Rich seems safe though. He’s decided to become a doctor.
“I’ve been interested in all the sciences prior to that, but it’s even more of a reason to go into medicine because it’s not that replaceable,” he said.
Researchers from Microsoft and Forbes found the jobs that are most protected from AI are those that require human connection, critical decision-making and unpredictable environments. They include skilled trades, healthcare workers, emergency services, leadership roles, including CEO’s and strategists, and legal professions.