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Statistics Canada Finds No Broad Evidence AI Caused Youth Hiring Slump
Statistics Canada says AI has not broadly driven youth hiring declines, pointing to wider economic forces instead.
Key points
- The study found no broad evidence that AI has substantially reduced hiring or increased job separations in Canada since November 2022.
- Hiring rates for workers aged 15 to 29 in low-AI-exposure jobs decreased from 4 per cent to 3.3 per cent.
- Co-author Tahsin Mehdi said AI may not be eliminating entire jobs right now, citing trade dynamics and U.S. tariffs.
Why it matters. The findings suggest that weak youth hiring may stem from broader economic forces rather than AI alone, according to the agency's data.
Statistics Canada's study, published last week, found little sign that AI has substantially cut hiring or raised job separations in Canada since ChatGPT launched in November 2022. Hiring of workers aged 15 to 29 in low-AI-exposure jobs fell from 4 per cent to 3.3 per cent, while in more vulnerable jobs it edged down from 3.2 per cent to 3 per cent. Co-author Tahsin Mehdi said AI 'may not be eliminating entire jobs right now' amid tariffs and immigration shocks.
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Statistics Canada Finds No Broad Evidence AI Caused Youth Hiring Slump
A Statistics Canada report finds that young workers face a tougher job market, but artificial intelligence is not necessarily the cause. The agency's survey of historical data found no broad evidence that AI has affected hiring or job separation rates since ChatGPT launched in 2022. According to the report, the technology is reshaping work rather than eliminating jobs. The findings challenge a common assumption that AI is driving weaker entry-level hiring. The report is based on historical data rather than a forecast of future labour market effects.