Hong Kong's Graduate Dilemma: Is AI Eating Our Jobs?

As a fresh graduate in Hong Kong, the career landscape may not look promising. A new report has painted a stark picture of the job market, and the challenges are being driven by two heavyweights: a sluggish economy and the relentless rise of artificial intelligence. According to data from the South China Morning Post, 2025 was a tough year for job seekers. Across the city, a staggering 69% of job sectors recorded their fewest number of vacancies in six years. Overall, job postings plummeted to a five-year low of just over 30,000, a drop of more than 51% since 2021.

The decline isn't happening everywhere equally. The sectors hit hardest are those where AI is rapidly making its mark. Think about the day-to-day tasks in information technology, programming, customer service, and administrative roles. These are often process-drive, exactly the kind of work that algorithms are excelling in and at a rapid pace. While nearly 22,300 undergraduates are graduating from the city's top universities, ready to start their careers, the number of entry doors seems to be shrinking.

Experts point to a combination of factors behind this trend. The "AI ascent" shows that companies are using AI to automate customer service chats, streamline admin, and even assist with coding, meaning they might need fewer junior staff to handle the workload that used to require a team of fresh graduates. At the same time, the economic slowdown makes businesses hesitant to hire. When you combine that with the efficiency gains from new technology, the need to bring in new talent diminishes even further.

For students and recent grads, this signals a need to adapt. The jobs of tomorrow might not look like the jobs of yesterday, and it's no longer just about having a degree but about the skills you bring in a rapidly changing landscape. The graduates who can work alongside AI, using it as a tool rather than competing with it, will likely be the ones who thrive. The job market is undoubtedly challenging right now, but understanding these shifts is the first step in navigating them.