Reddit CEO Steve Huffman says he plans to 'go heavy' on hiring new grads because they are 'AI native'

In the face of growing concerns about AI's impact on entry-level employment, Reddit's CEO, Steve Huffman, offers a contrasting perspective. He believes that recent college graduates bring a unique advantage to the table, particularly due to their familiarity with AI tools. "The kids coming out of college right now learned how to program with AI. They're really good at it, so I think we will go heavy on new grads because they're so much more AI native," Huffman expressed during an appearance on the 'Sourcery with Molly O'Shea' podcast. Huffman emphasized the competitive landscape for hiring new graduates, stating, "There are so many reasons to hire new grads. Also, the best new grads, if you don't hire them as new grads, you will never see them. They will never be on the job market again. They're too valuable to ever let them be on the job market." This assertion comes at a time when the job market for young professionals is particularly challenging, with an increasing number of graduates entering a workforce that is experiencing a slowdown in hiring due to advancements in AI technology. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported an unemployment rate of 4.4% in February, impacting 7.6 million Americans, which marks a rise from the previous year's 4.1%. Industry leaders, like Anthropic's CEO Dario Amodei, have warned that AI could significantly reduce entry-level white-collar jobs in the coming years. However, Huffman remains committed to expanding his workforce, especially in engineering roles. "We are building a company, so in order for the engineering headcount to go down, we'd have to know everything we wanted to build," he remarked. Huffman believes that even if AI technology boosts engineer productivity dramatically, it will lead to an increase in projects rather than a reduction in hiring. To facilitate this, Reddit has established an Emerging Talent team specifically focused on attracting young professionals, with numerous full-time positions available in engineering, sales, and product management. Additionally, the company is offering internship opportunities, referred to as "Snooterns," in machine learning engineering, reinforcing their commitment to cultivating fresh talent in the tech sector.