Overview
- Handshake’s Class of 2026 report finds 10.3% of internships and 4.2% of full-time entry-level jobs now mention AI, with the full-time share nearly doubling in a year.
- Employer demand spans more fields as nearly 32% of tech listings cite AI along with about 7% in finance, 5.5% in media and marketing, and roughly 3% in government, health care, and education.
- Student adoption is now near universal with 85% of seniors using AI tools, yet only 28% say AI was meaningfully integrated into their courses and 58% say they need stronger skills for work.
- The early-career job market remains tight with postings down 2% from last year and 12% below pre-pandemic levels, and 62% of seniors feel pessimistic with about half naming AI as a concern.
- EAB’s new survey reports 42% of college-eligible students say AI will shape their career choice, 10% already changed majors, and 26% used AI in their college search with higher use among Black and Asian students.