Vanishing Internships: Is AI Erasing the First Step in Every Career?
For decades, the “first rung” of the career ladder—entry-level jobs, internships, junior assistant roles—has been a rite of passage. It’s where you learn how to navigate office politics, fix printer jams, sit in on meetings you barely understand, and earn the right to grow. But in 2025, that crucial first step is looking increasingly unstable—and many are pointing to artificial intelligence as the culprit.
From automating data entry to generating reports and even drafting content, AI is proving itself not just as a tool, but as a replacement for what were once beginner-level tasks. Companies under budget pressure and productivity demands are leaning into AI systems that can do in seconds what it once took a new hire days to learn. What’s getting cut in the process? Opportunities. Learning curves. Human growth.
The Cost of Convenience
Sure, AI makes things faster. But when the simple tasks that used to be delegated to interns and assistants are now done by software, we lose something important: the onramp into industries.
Imagine trying to become a video editor without ever being allowed to cut B-roll. Or a designer without any logos to mock up. Or a marketer without reports to track. Entry-level tasks aren’t busywork—they’re foundational. They build skill, trust, and confidence. AI, for all its efficiency, can’t replace the experience of learning through doing.
So What’s the Solution? Create New First Rungs
Rather than fear AI, platforms like the CEEK Creator Hub are helping rebuild the first step in a more relevant, empowering way. Through the Creator Hub, aspiring professionals can create portfolios, collaborate with mentors, and get paid for real-world projects using CEEK Tokens—all without waiting for a corporate handout.
From junior coders experimenting with game mods, to young marketers testing TikTok campaigns, the CEEK ecosystem opens doors for those eager to learn and grow. It rewards initiative, not just résumés.
From Intern to Innovator
Here’s the shift: AI may be automating the old version of entry-level work, but platforms like CEEK are redefining the new version. It’s not about coffee runs and note-taking anymore—it’s about building digital products, storytelling across platforms, and creating value in virtual economies.
In fact, many Gen Z and Gen Alpha creators are skipping traditional job paths altogether, growing their skills through content creation, NFT design, and virtual event production. They’re learning by building. Earning by experimenting. And climbing a new kind of ladder—one that isn’t made obsolete by AI, but enhanced by it.
The Bottom Line
AI may close one door—but CEEK opens another. The first rung of the career ladder isn’t vanishing. It’s evolving. The question is: will we give young talent the tools, platforms, and tokenized incentives they need to climb?
