EditorialHong Kong graduates need to adapt to secure a job in the AI era

There is no point in lamenting AI’s rise. The focus must be on flexibility and learning to live with the technology

2-MIN READ2-MIN

Listen

Graduating students take photos on the University of Hong Kong campus. Photo: Dickson Lee

Published: 7:15am, 24 Mar 2026

Artificial intelligence (AI) is developing at a breathtaking pace, disrupting almost every sector and having a significant impact on the job market. The adoption of the technology is not only reducing the number of lower-paid jobs but also hitting graduates. There is a need to adapt and embrace the new reality.

Job vacancies plunged to a five-year low last year, falling to less than half the number recorded in 2021, according to the Joint Institution Job Information System, an online platform shared by universities.

Data revealed 23 out of 33 job categories dropped to a six-year low. Sectors strongly associated with AI, such as IT and programming, customer services and clerical work, were among those with few job openings. Competition is intensifying, with the average number of applications received for each position soaring.

AI is not only contributing to fewer vacancies, it is also disrupting the traditional paths for graduates to find a job and develop their career. The environment is challenging, but the response cannot simply be to blame AI for the problem. Graduates must find a way to make themselves appealing to employers in the era of AI.

This requires them to deepen their knowledge of AI and secure the ability to make the best use of it, keeping pace with developments. There is also a need to cultivate contacts and develop skills that AI cannot easily replicate, such as communicating well and exercising sound judgment. There is no room for complacency.

The responsibility to react and adapt lies not only with jobseekers. The government, education sector, businesses and the wider community must all play their part. Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po unveiled a comprehensive AI+ strategy in his budget, including measures to boost digital literacy. Universities are introducing courses to better prepare their students for the new environment. This process needs to be accelerated and involve a multidisciplinary approach.

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}There is no point in lamenting AI’s rise. The focus must be on flexibility and learning to live with the technology

There is no point in lamenting AI’s rise. The focus must be on flexibility and learning to live with the technology