If entry-level jobs disappear, who becomes a CEO?

The path to the corner office has long followed a familiar pattern. Start at the bottom, learn the business from within, and advance step by step. That model is now changing, and artificial intelligence is the primary reason.

AI is rapidly absorbing the routine work that once defined early career roles. Data entry, basic financial analysis, customer support triage, and even junior coding are increasingly automated.

The result is a shrinking base of entry-level positions and rising expectations for those who remain.