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It鈥檚 move-in week for college students across North Carolina. And once students have gotten settled into their dorms, their attention will turn to getting the classes needed to fulfill their chosen major. But which career paths are a safe bet in 2026?

U.S. employers in July. Job creation for May and June was also revised downwards, showing a combined loss of 103,000 positions.

A report by outplacement and executive coaching firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas found artificial intelligence remains , accounting for almost 11,000 of the announced cuts last month. It鈥檚 the fifth straight month AI has been the leading explanation that employers have provided for eliminating jobs.

鈥淎I is shifting the labor market, it is not dismantling it,鈥� Andy Challenger, chief revenue officer for Challenger, Gray & Christmas, in their latest report.

Technology, financial firms, and the government sector accounted for the most job losses in July.

Gerald Cohen, chief economist with the Kenan Institute of Private Enterprise, calls the latest employment data worrying.

Cohen said economists are actively debating whether AI is going to create massive job losses in certain fields 鈥� careers one would want to avoid 鈥� or if it will create new career pathways.

Careers to see major disruptions in the near future include marketing and public relations, customer service, technical writing, journalism and web development.

Cohen says ultimately, it may come down to how a person uses artificial intelligence to their advantage.

鈥淚f you鈥檙e a critical thinker, learn how to use AI and learn how to leverage it, [choose] whatever field that鈥檚 going to inspire you,鈥� Cohen said in a call with reporters.

North Carolina State University economist Dr. Mike Walden said two or three years ago, he would absolutely have recommended a young person heading to college pursue a degree in technology. It鈥檚 a less safe bet these days.

鈥淣ow that鈥檚 up in the air because of AI,鈥� said Walden. 鈥淎I is a technology that can replace people.鈥�

Walden believes that while it鈥檚 unclear to what extent that may happen, AI is more likely to change certain jobs than to eliminate them.

鈥淭here鈥檚 a part of decision making that only humans can do,鈥� Walden said.

Walden told NC Newsline the uncertainty AI creates may help promote social sciences.

鈥淪ocial sciences are fields where you rely on human interaction, being able to assess other people, being able to work with other people,鈥� explained Walden. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 actually something that I would tell students going to college, and say, certainly look at technology, but don鈥檛 forget the social sciences. I think that may very well have a rebirth in the new economy that has AI.鈥�

Walden said skilled trades are another area where AI can鈥檛 easily replace humans.

鈥淚鈥檓 also a big promoter of skilled fields that maybe require just community college,鈥� said Walden. 鈥淲e need entrepreneurs, we need plumbers, we need electricians. That鈥檚 not what a lot of people think about when they go to college, but prospects for those jobs, I think, are very, very good.鈥�

For those newly graduated or early career professionals who are still struggling to land a job, Cohen says it may not be AI鈥檚 fault.

鈥淥ne of the reasons why the unemployment rate for folks with bachelor鈥檚 has been rising faster than the unemployment rate with folks without a bachelor鈥檚 degree is not because of AI, but because of the impact of remote work and the fact that it鈥檚 harder to gain [certain] skills from, and it鈥檚 harder to learn from other workers when you鈥檙e remote,鈥� said Cohen.

Cohen said he鈥檚 a big proponent of flexibility, but the truth is many employers are still grappling with managing and growing employees who aren鈥檛 on-site as the workplace continues to change.

This was originally published by NC Newsline.

is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. NC Newsline maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Laura Leslie for questions: [email protected].

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