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How AI may reshape career pathways to better jobs

Brookings | 2026-04-09 | economy

Topics: AI, United States

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A new Brookings report highlights that the impact of AI on the labor market extends beyond individual job losses, significantly reshaping career pathways – the sequences of jobs that enable economic mobility, particularly for workers without four-year degrees (“STARs”). The analysis reveals that AI exposure is concentrated in key “Gateway” occupations that traditionally provide stepping stones to higher-wage jobs, potentially disrupting these pathways and hindering worker advancement. Policymakers and regional leaders need to focus on maintaining and strengthening these local pathways to ensure continued economic mobility and talent development, requiring coordinated action and a focus on how AI is deployed and adopted.

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