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Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt stands at a commencement podium at the University of Arizona, dressed in black doctoral regalia with a gold and red academic hood and a black mortarboard with a gold tassel. He is speaking into a microphone against a nearly black stage backdrop. The image is a video still from a PBS NewsHour segment on how AI is reshaping the job market for the class of 2026 and how this generation of graduates is navigating career anxiety in an AI-transformed economy.

Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt delivers a commencement address at the University of Arizona. Shifts in the economy and anxiety around AI are changing how the class of 2026 sees their career prospects, as college graduates begin their job search in a world being rapidly transformed by artificial intelligence. Photo: PBS NewsHour

College Graduates Begin Their Job Search in a World Being Transformed by AI

June 10, 2026

College Graduates Begin Their Job Search in a World Being Transformed by AI

College graduates are entering one of the most uncertain job markets in decades, and AI is a big reason why. Here is what the data says, what experts are advising, and what students can do to prepare for a workforce that is changing fast.

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We are in commencement season, when graduates look back on their accomplishments and look ahead to their future ambitions. But shifts in the economy and the anxiety around it are changing how this generation sees their prospects. Ali Rogin speaks with New York Times reporter Jodi Kantor about her book, "How to Start: Discovering Your Life's Work."

View the transcript of the story.

NOTE: If you are short on time, watch the video and complete this See, Think, Wonder activity: What did you notice? What did the story make you think? What would you want to learn more about?

Warm-Up Questions

  1. What is the unemployment rate for recent graduates between the ages of 22 and 27?
  2. How did graduates respond to commencement speeches praising developments in AI?
  3. Who is Jodi Kantor?
  4. Why are students so worried about getting into the job market, according to Kantor?
  5. What advice does Kantor provide to graduates to have a positive, productive response to this "very intimidating and degrading environment"?

Essential Questions

  • Jodi Kantor cautions against putting too much trust in predictions about the future of the workplace, such as the message that AI will replace entry-level workers. Do you agree with Kantor's advice? Why or why not?
  • What skill or interest do you have, or hope to learn more about, and how can this skill be developed?
  • Media literacy: Take a look at the infographic included at the end of the News Hour segment. Why do you think this infographic was included? What important questions does it raise, and what other information do you think it would be useful to include?

Graphic showing that 30# of college graduates in 2025 found a full-time job related to their education within six months of graduation

What Students Can Do

Now it's your turn to examine the data. Go to the Cengage 2025 Graduate Employability Report linked here. Below are some data points from the report. Examine and answer the following questions.

  1. What overall message are the graphs conveying?
  2. Did this data surprise you? Why or why not?
  3. What questions do you still have about the data?
  4. What issues do you think could affect this data in the future? How so?

During the News Hour segment, Jodi Kantor discusses how the job hiring process is A.I.-fueled right now. According to the World Economic Forum, about 88% of companies already use some form of AI for initial candidate screening to filter or rank job applications.

Learn more about the way bias is embedded into these AI-powered hiring algorithms using the resources below:

Consider the following questions:

  • What are some similarities and differences between the data found in the Stanford University study and the Brookings study?
  • Did any data surprise you? Why or why not?
  • What ideas do you have for combatting bias in AI-powered hiring algorithms?

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Republished with permission from PBS News Hour Classroom.

PBS News Hour Classroom
PBS News Hour Classroom helps teachers and students identify the who, what, where and why-it-matters of the major national and international news stories. The site combines the best of News Hour's reliable, trustworthy news program with lesson plans developed specifically for... See More
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