IBM plans to triple entry-level hiring in the U.S. in 2026

While much of the artificial intelligence industry suggests that AI will replace entry-level positions, IBM is choosing to expand its intake. The hardware giant plans to triple its entry-level hiring in the U.S. in 2026, according to reporting from Bloomberg. Nickle LaMoreaux, IBM’s chief human resource officer, announced the hiring initiative on Tuesday at Charter’s Leading with AI Summit, an industry event. This planned increase in entry-level hiring directly contrasts with broader industry trends regarding AI-driven workforce reduction, signaling a different approach to talent acquisition in the age of automation.

To accommodate this hiring surge, IBM is actively redesigning its entry-level job descriptions. The goal is to prioritize “people-forward” tasks, such as customer engagement, over functions that AI can easily automate, such as coding. LaMoreaux explained that she personally reviewed and modified the descriptions for these entry-level positions to ensure they focus less on automatable tasks. Commenting on the decision to maintain these roles despite technological shifts, LaMoreaux stated, “And yes, it’s for all these jobs that we’re being told AI can do.” This approach aims to ensure that less experienced workers can still be fostered to develop the necessary skills for higher-level roles down the road, even if the company’s immediate need for traditional entry-level talent changes. Although IBM has announced the tripling of its intake, the company did not specify the exact number of people it plans to hire under this initiative.

This strategic shift arrives as the broader labor market grapples with the potential impact of artificial intelligence. The pace of automation has already become a central focus for researchers and market participants. For context, a 2025 study by MIT estimated that 11.7% of jobs could likely already be automated by AI. Additionally, a TechCrunch survey revealed that multiple investors think 2026 will start to show AI’s potential impact on the labor market, even though those investors were not specifically asked about labor trends. IBM’s strategy represents an early test of how large enterprises might restructure junior roles rather than eliminating them entirely.

Why it matters

IBM is bucking the trend of scaling back entry-level hiring in the face of AI by tripling its intake, while shifting job descriptions to focus on human-centric tasks rather than automatable ones like coding.