New York report says entry-level design, media and writing postings fell 40.6%

The Partnership for New York City published a report on October 2 about job postings, AI skills and office leasing. It found that annual entry-level postings in design, media and writing had fallen 40.6% since 2022. Clerical and administrative postings fell 30.5%, while finance postings fell 23.4%.

Over the same period, entry-level postings mentioning AI skills rose 55%, according to the report. Employers sought people who could apply, deploy and supervise AI systems.

The report draws on Lightcast job advertisements, federal employment data and Stanford's AI exposure index. The index measures how much AI could augment the skills used in an occupation. It does not count tasks that employers have automated.

The group also reports that AI companies leased more than 2.2 million square feet of New York office space. Those leases took place in the first half of 2026. That was more than twice the 936,000 square feet they leased during all of 2025. The report urges the city to track entry-level opportunities as well as investment and office expansion.

The Partnership is a business advocacy group, and the findings are its own. Job postings do not show hires, layoffs or how many workers AI displaced. The analysis does not establish that AI caused the declines. Office leases do not show how many people a company employs.

A job advertisement shows what an employer is seeking. For new workers, fewer junior openings and more technical requirements can make it harder to find a first role.

Watch New York employers' entry-level postings, completed hires and training placements by occupation. Those records could show whether new workers are getting the advertised roles.