<\/p>\n
Steve Huffman wants companies to stop overlooking recent graduates \u2014 and start hiring them for their fluency with artificial intelligence.<\/p>\n
The Reddit chief executive argues that a cohort raised alongside large language models offers a competitive advantage, at a time when companies are reworking products and workflows around AI. His view reflects a wider shift in Silicon Valley, where leaders are weighing short-term automation gains against the long-term need to develop talent.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe kids coming out of college right now learned how to program with AI,\u201d Huffman said on the Sourcery with Molly O\u2019Shea podcast. \u201cThey\u2019re really good at it, and so I think we will go heavy on new grads, because they\u2019re so much more AI native.\u201d<\/p>\n
He framed the generational divide in stark terms. \u201cIt\u2019s the old people like me, it\u2019s like I didn\u2019t want to give [coding] up. I finally did,\u201d he said. \u201cThe younger people don\u2019t have that baggage. They just write with AI.\u201d<\/p>\n
Huffman has tied that hiring strategy to Reddit\u2019s broader direction. The company has expanded AI partnerships, including licensing content and collaborating on model training, as it looks to turn its vast archive of user discussions into a commercial asset. It has also credited AI-driven features such as translation tools, alongside data licensing, with supporting its first quarterly profit since going public.<\/p>\n
Other executives are making similar arguments. Ricardo Amper, chief executive of Incode Technologies, has said inexperienced hires can be valuable because they approach problems from first principles. Mark Cuban has urged graduates to focus on applying AI inside businesses, rather than just using tools. Brian Chesky, the Airbnb chief, has warned that cutting entry-level roles risks eroding the pipeline of future leaders.<\/p>\n
Matt Garman, chief executive of Amazon Web Services, has been more blunt, criticising the idea of replacing junior staff with automation as \u201cthe dumbest thing I\u2019ve ever heard,\u201d while still backing widespread AI adoption.<\/p>\n
The debate comes as the entry-level job market tightens. The share of unemployed Americans who are first-time workers hit a multi-decade high in 2025 and remains elevated, leaving graduates facing fierce competition. Huffman argues that delaying hiring only compounds the problem \u2014 companies that wait risk missing talent that quickly becomes scarce and more expensive.<\/p>\n
Reddit says it is expanding programmes for graduates and interns, particularly in machine learning, data science and computer science. The company maintains it will keep a mix of experience levels as it builds out AI capabilities.<\/p>\n