Stripe’s Head of Data and Artificial Intelligence, Emily Glassberg Sands, recently disclosed that she is recruiting a higher number of newly minted university graduates—particularly those with advanced academic degrees—than at any previous stage in her tenure. Yet despite this unprecedented influx of youthful talent, she expressed a growing concern about the environment these hires will encounter once they join the company and the broader technology workforce. Her apprehension, voiced during a live recording of the program *Forward Future* released on Thursday, centers not on their technical mastery but on their long-term professional development.
Sands explained that her current hiring strategy draws largely from a pool of recent Ph.D. recipients, individuals who arrive at the company having just completed rigorous academic training at the frontier of their respective disciplines. In her words, these young professionals possess not only the most current technical capabilities but also the originality and conceptual fluency required to engage with complex problems. Their education has equipped them with the mindset of researchers—people who understand how to dissect challenging questions, adopt analytical methodologies, and take advantage of the most sophisticated computational tools now available. Such attributes make them remarkably well suited for a company operating at the intersection of data science, finance, and advanced technology.
However, even as she celebrates the infusion of such highly skilled newcomers, Sands voiced an equally strong worry: how, in an environment increasingly defined by rapid automation and remote collaboration, will these early-career professionals obtain the mentorship, apprenticeship, and experiential learning that once served as the foundation for advancement in the industry? She acknowledged that while these recruits arrive with extraordinary technical potential, their ability to flourish depends heavily on structured guidance and ongoing support from experienced colleagues. As she put it, mentorship development has become her central preoccupation. The prospect that the tech sector could find itself, a decade from now, with no well-prepared talent pipeline is a scenario she called “unfortunate”—a term that masks profound implications for the future of innovation.
Her remarks also come at a time when artificial intelligence is transforming the very texture of work itself, eliminating or reconstituting many of the tasks traditionally assigned to entry-level employees. AI systems increasingly handle specialized functions that once offered junior workers invaluable opportunities to practice, experiment, and learn on the job. This systemic shift, Sands noted, is compelling companies to reevaluate the attributes they prize most in their workforce. In place of narrowly defined technical competencies, organizations are beginning to emphasize critical thinking, creativity, collaborative problem-solving, and the ability to formulate insightful questions—the human qualities that machines cannot yet replicate. Employees who can combine intellectual curiosity with adaptive collaboration are, she suggested, becoming the most sought-after assets.
Nevertheless, this redefinition of professional value leaves an unsettling question unanswered: what does “entry-level” even mean in an ecosystem where much of the foundational work is being delegated to algorithms? Sands candidly admitted that this uncertainty is what keeps her up at night. Without clear developmental pathways, she fears that the bridge between academia and industry will fray, depriving both new graduates and their employers of the mutual enrichment that on-the-job mentorship once guaranteed. Stripe and Sands declined further comment when contacted by *Business Insider*.
This discussion is occurring against the backdrop of an industry-wide debate over whether artificial intelligence is eroding opportunities for young workers. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell acknowledged recently that AI almost certainly plays a role in shaping current labor-market dynamics for college graduates, even if the magnitude of its influence is difficult to quantify. He pointed out that organizations historically reliant on hiring large numbers of new graduates might now substitute algorithmic tools for some entry-level functions, although he emphasized that slower overall job creation more broadly also contributes to the challenge.
Other voices in the tech community have sounded even more dire warnings. Dario Amodei, Chief Executive Officer of Anthropic, predicted during the summer that AI could eliminate up to half of all entry-level white-collar positions within the next few years—a dramatic transformation that, if it materializes, would reshape the professional landscape. Yet counterarguments abound: consulting giant McKinsey, for instance, recently stated that AI is not extinguishing entry-level roles but rather altering their content, announcing plans to continue expanding its junior workforce. Similarly, Winston Weinberg, CEO of the legal AI startup Harvey, told *Business Insider* that he remains fully committed to hiring and training young lawyers. Even though automation is beginning to assume many routine tasks traditionally handled by junior associates, he is confident that cultivating new talent remains essential for the long-term vigor and creativity of his organization.
Taken together, these perspectives reveal an industry in tension—one torn between its reliance on technological progress and its dependence on human mentorship. Sands’s reflections thus serve as both a testament to AI’s promise and a cautionary appeal to preserve the institutions of learning, collaboration, and guidance that have always underpinned sustainable innovation.
Sourse: https://www.businessinsider.com/stripe-head-ai-hiring-new-grads-mentorship-emily-glassberg-sands-2025-10
