The Data Exchange with Ben Lorica When AI Eats the Bottom Rung of the Career Ladder
Aug 16, 2025
Evangelos Simoudis from Synapse Partners shares insights on critical trends in the AI industry. He discusses the 'Great Hollowing Out,' where automation is wiping out entry-level jobs, making it harder for fresh graduates. The conversation dives into the economic implications of AI hardware depreciation and changing team dynamics that blend experienced and novice talent. Simoudis also explores the evolution of AI business models, particularly in light of GPT-5, reshaping how companies engage with AI services.
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AI Is Decoupling Productivity From Wages
- Evangelos argues AI is decoupling productivity from wages and disproportionately risks post-high-school and recent graduates.
- Organizations must assess impacts by population segments and plan pipelines to preserve long-term expertise.
Which White-Collar Jobs Are Most Exposed
- Evangelos maps a spectrum: entry-level white-collar tasks are already replaceable by AI agents, while high-skill roles remain hard to fully replace.
- He warns many junior roles (paralegal, support, some programming) shrink or change rather than disappear completely.
High Underemployment Among Graduates
- New York Fed data shows recent-graduate underemployment near 41% and college-graduate underemployment about 33% as of March 2025.
- Evangelos finds this worrisome because graduates carry debt and high living costs, creating socioeconomic risk.