Class of 2025 Turns to AI for Job Interviews After Witnessing Mass Layoffs

Graduates face bleak job market, use AI tools to boost interview performance and overcome anxiety

Mar. 27, 2026 at 3:28am

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The class of 2025 has watched their older siblings get hired at major tech companies only to be laid off months later, with 245,000 tech workers losing their jobs in 2025 and another 59,000 in early 2026. Facing an entry-level job market that is the worst in five years, with unemployment among recent college graduates aged 22-27 climbing to 5.7% and underemployment hitting 42.5%, this generation is turning to AI-powered interview assistance tools like LockedIn DUO to help them perform at their best and overcome intense interview anxiety.

Why it matters

The class of 2025 has witnessed firsthand how quickly the job market can turn, with experienced professionals being laid off despite doing everything right. This has led them to conclude that relying on competence and loyalty alone is not enough, and they are adapting by using AI tools to boost their chances in a highly competitive hiring landscape.

The details

With the average job posting now attracting 340 applicants and only about 2% getting invited to interview, the class of 2025 sees using AI-powered interview assistance as a way to level the playing field. Tools like LockedIn DUO combine real-time AI transcription, contextual processing, and strategic guidance from a human mentor to help candidates perform at their actual level rather than being hindered by interview anxiety. This generation sees the use of AI in interviews as achieving parity, since other parts of the hiring process are already automated by AI.

  • In 2025, 245,000 tech workers lost their jobs.
  • In the first three months of 2026, another 59,000 tech workers lost their jobs.
  • By late 2025, unemployment among recent college graduates aged 22-27 climbed to 5.7%.
  • By late 2025, underemployment hit 42.5%, its highest level since 2020.

The players

LockedIn AI

A company that provides AI-powered interview assistance tools to job candidates.

Federal Reserve Bank of New York

The regional Federal Reserve bank that provided data on unemployment and underemployment among recent college graduates.

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What’s next

As the use of AI in job interviews continues to grow, companies and job seekers will need to navigate the ethical and practical implications of this technology. Employers may need to re-evaluate their policies around AI use, while job seekers will likely continue to seek out tools that can give them an edge in a highly competitive market.

The takeaway

The class of 2025 has faced a daunting job market after witnessing mass layoffs among their older peers, leading them to turn to AI-powered interview assistance as a survival strategy. This generation's embrace of technology in the hiring process reflects a broader shift in how job seekers are adapting to the changing landscape of employment.