Advertisement
Want an AI-proof job? New research says you may be safer at companies embracing the technology
ChatGPT website is displayed on a laptop screen, and the ChatGPT icon is displayed on a phone screen.
(NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Staff Writer Follow
July 4, 2026 3 AM PT
-
7
-
5 min Click here to listen to this article
-
Share viaClose extra sharing options
0:000:00
1x
This is read by an automated voice. Please report any issues or inconsistencies here.
See more from the L.A. Times in Google Search. Set us as preferred
While AI is often cited as one of the reasons for mass layoffs, particularly in the tech sector, for fast-growing companies it also seems to be creating new jobs in many companies, according to a study published Tuesday from financial services company Ramp and employment database Revelio Labs.
“Our early result is that it looks like firms are starting to look for more entry-level hires, likely people who are more AI native,” said Ara Kharazian, the lead economist at Ramp, a financial services company that found a rise in early-career hiring by companies in the period they started spending heavily on AI.
The study tracked AI spending and the workforce records of nearly 22,000 U.S. companies between January 2021 and February 2026.
Advertisement
It found that firms that spent more on AI ended up increasing their workforce headcount by an average of 10% over the two years after rolling out the technology. Companies that made the largest AI investment expanded entry-level job hiring by 12%.
College students are in search of ‘AI-proof’ majors. But no one knows what they are
The rise of artificial intelligence is prompting college students to second-guess their career paths
May 5, 2026
“If you are a job seeker, or you are graduating from college, and you’re choosing between two different firms that are otherwise similar, I would choose the one that’s using AI,” Kharazian said. “Our paper shows that that firm is going to grow faster.”
The early and intense AI adopters spent more than $100 per month per employee on AI and had their employees using advanced AI, such as coding subscriptions, as opposed to simple ChatGPT subscriptions.
Advertisement
The low-intensity, casual AI adopters didn’t see any hiring gains and reduced headcount.
The Ramp study showed a positive effect on employment from AI because it focused on firms adopting AI, many of them fast-growing, venture-backed companies hiring AI-native junior employees.
Hiring slows sharply, curbing recent job-market momentum
Hiring slowed sharply in June even as the unemployment rate fell, curbing some of the budding momentum in job growth this year.
July 2, 2026
It reached a different conclusion than a November 2025 Stanford University study, which examined payroll data across the entire labor market and found that employment among young software developers had declined by nearly 20% from its late-2022 peak.
The two findings can both be true, Kharazian said, because the Stanford study was broader and didn’t focus just on the firms that use AI.
“While there may be overall weak hiring for young people, what we found is that hiring is actually strong at the firms that use AI, and the firms that use AI intensely,” he said.
In another recent study on the impact of AI on jobs, the California AI-unemployment tracker examined the state across industries, education levels and region and highlighted some worrying trends.
It seemed to disprove the understanding that AI has been hurting mostly younger employees and those in entry-level jobs.
It found that unemployment insurance claims among college-educated workers in high-AI-exposed jobs, such as customer service and software development, increased after ChatGPT’s release in 2022 and remained elevated through May 2026.
Unemployment insurance claims among master’s and PhD holders in highly AI-exposed occupations have also risen, moving from a baseline average of 13,000 claims per month in November 2022 to between 16,000 and 22,000 claims per month since mid-2023, the study found.
The study also categorized unemployment claims by age and found that a significant portion of claims were from those aged 36 to 65, signaling that AI’s effect doesn’t only affect early-career jobs.
It also found a higher rate of insurance claims in the San Francisco Bay Area compared with the rest of California, and that job loss claims were concentrated in the technology sector.
AI is saving office workers hours — and stealing much of that time back in ‘botsitting’
A new survey of individuals using AI found it made them more productive, saving each roughly 11 hours per week. But at the same time, the workers on average have to spend more than six hours ‘botsitting.’
June 13, 2026
In 2026, tech companies have let go of more than 160,000 workers, according to trueup.io, a website tracking industry layoffs.
Many companies have said AI was one of the main reasons for layoffs. Meta, Oracle, Microsoft and other big tech companies have laid off tens of thousands of employees, while simultaneously investing billions in AI data centers.
Ramp’s findings that heavy AI adoption can lead to increased hiring suggests that some of the companies announcing large layoffs may be guilty of blaming regular cost cutting on AI, a practice dubbed “AI washing.”
“When you hear CEOs talk about layoffs and they attribute it to AI, I would be skeptical,” Kharazian said.
More to Read
AI stock slump raises the question if investors are just taking profits or getting very nervous
June 26, 2026
Latest data show California conundrum: high growth but high prices, high unemployment
June 6, 2026
Young and unemployed? Remote work, not AI, may be the problem
June 2, 2026
Show Comments
Business World & Nation Artificial Intelligence Jobs, Labor & Workplace
The Wide Shot brings you news, analysis and insights on everything from streaming wars to production — and what it all means for the future.
By continuing, you agree to our Terms of Service, which include arbitration and a class action waiver. You agree that we and our third-party vendors may collect and use your information, including through cookies, pixels and similar technologies, for the purposes set forth in our Privacy Policy such as personalizing your experience and ads.
Login or register with email
Agree & Continue
Follow Us
Nilesh Christopher is a technology reporter for the Los Angeles Times, focusing on how artificial intelligence empowers, harms and reshapes communities. He is currently supported by the Tarbell Center for AI Journalism.
More From the Los Angeles Times
With token prices collapsing and regulation rising, AI’s pricing power looks fragile
July 3, 2026
China-backed AI tool behind fake Brad Pitt fight making Hollywood inroads
June 9, 2026
Some grieving people seek comfort in AI videos of deceased loved ones
July 2, 2026
Job openings stay surprisingly strong as Iran war rattles the economy
July 1, 2026
Most Read in Business
California is bringing back EV rebates. This is how to get one
July 3, 2026
Voices
Hiltzik: It’s not just vaccines — from infancy to adolescence, Republicans are waging war on children’s health
July 3, 2026
Key inflation gauge jumps to 3-year high in latest sign of affordability challenges
June 25, 2026
California farmer and food marketer spar over who can sell white nectarines
July 3, 2026
Advertisement
Advertisement
Read Original at Los Angeles Times →