IBM's Aparna Nair: Entry-Level Workers Need Critical Thinking, Judgment

IBM's chief talent, leadership & culture officer, Aparna Nair, is sounding an alarm about a structural shift in how entry-level workers learn. Traditionally, judgment came from doing the work itself, but Nair argues that AI now performs much of that foundational work, leaving a gap in how young employees build discernment. IBM's September survey of 1,500 chief human resources officers and 8,800 employees worldwide found that about 57% of CHROs consider critical thinking important in the AI era, compared to 49% of employees, and 48% of CHROs value judgment under uncertainty, versus just 29% of employees. Meanwhile, 3 in 4 concerned employees said AI had already started eroding some of their skills, most often critical thinking.

The gap between employer expectations and employee confidence suggests that entry-level workers may need to take a more active role in their own development. Nair recommends validating AI inputs as a way to build judgment, while Bonnie Dilber of Zapier advises against using AI for decision-making, warning it could prevent workers from developing foundational skills. Dilber suggests demonstrating critical thinking through LinkedIn posts, interviews, or take-home assessments by explaining what you chose to do yourself and what you delegated to AI.

Whether these skills become a formal hiring criterion or remain an informal advantage is not yet clear. The outcome may hinge on how quickly employers adapt their entry-level programs and whether AI tools continue to absorb routine tasks. For now, the onus appears to be on workers to seek out "at-bats" and build expertise deliberately, even as the traditional training ground shrinks.