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Business
College Graduates Face Joblessness Above National Average Since AI's Rise in US and Germany
Herz — Business Desk · · 30s summary · 3 min read
The essentials
Since ChatGPT launched in 2022, American college graduates aged 22 to 27 face joblessness rates surpassing the national average, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. Germany shows similar trends. Job listings on Indeed have fallen 37% since November 2022. Labor market researcher Enzo Weber calls this a "renewal crisis"—companies are not creating new positions, disproportionately affecting recent graduates. Unlike previous economic downturns, experts say this reflects deep structural transformation in how companies operate, driven by AI adoption. Meanwhile, US graduates are voicing frustration, even booing speakers who mention AI at graduation ceremonies.
- Since 2022, American college graduate unemployment exceeds the national average.
- Job listings on Indeed have dropped 37% compared to November 2022.
- Germany faces similar unemployment trends among recent graduates, per Eurostat.
- Experts view this as structural transformation, not a temporary economic shock.
- American graduates voice frustration at ceremonies, booing mentions of AI.
Since ChatGPT's launch in 2022, American college graduates aged 22 to 27 show unemployment rates exceeding the overall US population rate, according to analysis by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York—one of the twelve regional banks comprising the US Federal Reserve System. Germany faces similar challenges.
What We Know
In the United States, this situation represents a historic reversal. During the 2008 financial crisis, young graduate unemployment rose but remained below overall unemployment. Since 2022, the trend has inverted.
In Germany, the unemployment rate for college graduates aged 25 to 29 exceeds the general population rate, according to Eurostat—the European Commission's directorate providing official EU statistics.
On the job board Indeed, posted listings have declined 37% compared to November 2022, just before ChatGPT's release, according to Indeed analyst Virginia Sondergeld. The decline touches nearly all job categories.
-37%
Decline in Indeed job postings since November 2022
23,000+
German study fields analyzed by Handelsblatt
November 2022100
2026 (after ChatGPT)63
Expert Analysis: A 'Renewal Crisis'
Enzo Weber, a labor market researcher, describes the situation as a 'renewal crisis' (Erneuerungskrise): companies are not opening new positions, disproportionately affecting first-time job market entrants, including young graduates.
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