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Recent university graduate Lotte Underwood spends more time managing artificial intelligence tools than performing traditional public relations work. As companies reshape entry-level employment, dedicated AI roles are emerging, though experts debate whether focusing too heavily on technology hinders broader professional development.
The Rise of Dedicated AI Graduate Roles
Underwood, 25, works as an AI associate at the London-based PR agency Fight or Flight. She is part of a dedicated AI team that has developed approximately 30 AI agents to handle industry research, client reporting, media interview preparation, brief creation, and image generation. Her core responsibilities include managing these agents, reviewing their outputs, and monitoring how clients appear in responses from tools like ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini.
Similarly, 24-year-old Dillan Patel joined engineering software company Stride as an intern and now works as an AI automation analyst. Based in Coventry, Patel develops internal agents and identifies manual tasks that automation can handle. Debra Maxwell, CEO of outsourced contact centre company ArvatoConnect, notes that while traditional graduate intake is paused, future hiring will focus on AI-disruptor roles where junior staff challenge the organization to grow through technology.
Accelerated Responsibilities and Career Progression
Research from consultancy PwC highlights that AI is causing entry-level roles to assume greater responsibilities. An analysis of 2.4 million US entry-level jobs for the 2026 AI Jobs Barometer revealed that roles heavily influenced by AI are seven times more likely to require senior-level skills, such as strategic decision-making and motivational leadership. These high-expectation roles have grown by 35% since 2019.
Cian Clinton, a 23-year-old consultant at Valliance in London, uses about 10 AI agents daily and feels the technology allows him to take on responsibilities that would normally take years to reach. He believes AI is dismantling the traditional corporate pyramid, making career progression dependent on critical thinking rather than accumulated knowledge.
Balancing AI Proficiency with Industry Expertise
Despite the rapid rise of AI-centric jobs, concerns remain over whether graduates are missing out on fundamental skills. Underwood acknowledges she has not yet experienced direct media pitching, though she plans to learn traditional PR tasks in the future.
Other companies prioritize traditional skill acquisition over narrow technology focus. Simon Pratt, chief operating officer at Portman Finance Group, explains that the company’s two-year graduate programme rotates participants across four areas to learn financial products and client relationship management directly from senior staff.
Claire Reid, PwC UK’s chief technology and innovation officer, emphasizes that while baseline AI literacy is now mandatory for every graduate job, technical skills alone are insufficient for long-term career growth. Graduates must combine technology with core sector knowledge to understand what clients truly want.
