IBM triples entry-level hires for 2026 despite AI adoption, bucking industry trends —  Chief HR officer says that AI can do most entry-level jobs, but work still requires a human touch

IBM is tripling its entry-level hiring in the U.S. in 2026, according to a new report. This stands in stark contrast to many of the country’s largest firms, especially in the tech world, which have conducted large-scale layoffs, often for the claimed reasons of AI efficiency savings or pivoting the company’s focus towards AI. IBM is explicit about its reasoning for the new roles, too, citing the importance of human-to-human interaction and the AI nativism of younger workers. As a result, IBM is bucking the wider industry trend, Bloomberg reports.

Speaking at the 2026 Leading with AI summit in New York last week, IBM’s chief human resources officer, Nickle LaMoreaux, described the false economy of layoffs in a world of AI-driven innovation and advancement. While firing those replaced by AI and reducing entry-level hiring may drive cost savings in the near term, LaMoreaux said that risked creating a longer-term scarcity of mid-level managers and experienced workers within the…