McKinsey counters AI job fears with 12% graduate hiring boost in 2026
The firm currently employs between 5,000 and 7,000 non-partner staff in the region.
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McKinsey & Company will increase its intake of entry-level staff in 2026, pushing back against predictions that artificial intelligence will shrink graduate opportunities. The consulting firm told reporters it plans to expand its North American workforce by 12% next year compared with 2025, according to Reuters.
Eric Kutcher, senior partner and chair of McKinsey North America, told Reuters that the firm currently employs between 5,000 and 7,000 non-partner staff in the region, a figure that could rise by 15–20% over the next five years.
The announcement underlines McKinsey’s determination to continue hiring young talent even as the wider job market cools. While many firms have slowed recruitment amid economic volatility, McKinsey continues to actively recruit on college campuses, The Wall Street Journal reported.
Kutcher dismissed concerns that AI will hollow out entry-level roles. He said that what they will work on will still require the same level of intellect, the same level of pace, and it will be doing the things that one can’t do with machines.
He argued that younger recruits often bring stronger technological skills, including fluency with AI tools, than older colleagues. He said that the 20-year-old econ major — "are way more in tune and fluent on the technology" than a 35-year-old person who has been doing this for seven years.
The firm’s commitment diverges from others in the sector that have scaled back hiring. Consulting firms such as McKinsey, Bain and Boston Consulting Group have long depended on steady intakes of junior staff to power their apprenticeship model, in which young consultants provide analytical support while partners lead client relationships.
Kutcher said AI-driven efficiencies were more likely to spur reinvestment than job losses. He told Reuters that He can’t think of any CEO that he spoke to so far that gets excited about the cost-reduction side of this. What they get excited about is how they can drive growth. While some companies might trim costs, others were redeploying staff rather than cutting them, he added.
