3 healthcare roles bucking hiring trends for younger workers

A decline in employment among occupations most exposed to artificial intelligence is hitting younger workers hardest, according to a study from three Stanford (Calif.) University researchers.

However, in roles such as nursing, psychiatric and home health aides — occupations considered less exposed to AI — employment among younger workers has continued to grow, according to the Nov. 13 study.

Stanford researchers Erik Brynjolfsson, PhD, Bharat Chandar, PhD, and Ruyu Chen, PhD, used administrative data from payroll software provider ADP to examine labor market shifts following the widespread adoption of generative AI. The dataset includes monthly, individual-level payroll records from millions of workers across tens of thousands of firms through September.

Workers ages 22-25 in occupations most exposed to AI experienced a 16% relative decline in employment, while employment levels among more experienced workers in the same roles remained largely stable, the study found.

While overall U.S. employment has continued to grow, employment among younger workers has been stagnant since late 2022. Workers ages 22 to 25 saw a 6% decline in employment from late 2022 through September 2025 in the most AI-exposed occupations, compared to 6% to 9% growth for older workers in those same roles.

Across industries, AI was the second most common reason cited for layoffs in October, according to a separate report released in November. Healthcare, however, has largely avoided AI-driven job cuts. Hospitals and health systems employ workers in roles both most affected by the technology — such as customer service representatives and telephone operators — and least affected, such as nurses.

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