They graduated from Stanford. Due to AI, they can't find a job

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A Stanford software engineering degree used to be a golden ticket.Artificial intelligence has devalued it to bronze, recent graduates say.

The elite students are shocked by the lack of job offers as they finish studies at what is often ranked as the top university in America.When they were freshmen, ChatGPT hadn’t yet been released upon the world.Today, AI can code better than most humans.

Top tech companies just don’t need as many fresh graduates.“Stanford computer science graduates are struggling to find entry-level jobs” with the most prominent tech brands, said Jan Liphardt, associate professor of bioengineering at Stanford University.

“I think that’s crazy.” While the rapidly advancing coding capabilities of generative AI have made experienced engineers more productive, they have also hobbled the job prospects of early-career software engineers.Business The tech industry, once seen as a relatively stable place to grow a career, continues to be hit by job cuts in 2025.

Tech companies including Meta, Block, Autodesk and others are among businesses that have slashed their workforce.Stanford students describe a suddenly skewed job market, where just a small slice of graduates — those considered “cracked engineers” who already have thick resumes building products and doing research — are getting the few good jobs, leaving everyone else to fight for scraps.“There’s definitely a very dreary mood on campus,” said a recent computer science graduate who asked not to be named so they could speak freely.“People [who are] job hunting are very stressed out, and it’s very hard for them to actually secure jobs.” The shake-up is being felt across California colleges, including UC Berkeley, USC and others.

The job search has been even tougher for those with less prestigious degrees.Eylul Akgul graduated last year with a degree in computer science from Lo...