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 As AI absorbs more of the tasks that once defined early careers — the research, the drafts, the foundational “grunt work” — media organizations are reckoning with a deceptively simple question: what happens to the people who were supposed to learn by doing it?
Chad Maxwell, President of KSM Media, argues that the industry is asking the wrong question. Efficiency and capability aren’t the same thing and confusing them may be the costliest mistake organizations make in the AI era. Here, he shares his thinking on what it actually means to build talent when the tools keep changing.
Cynopsis: AI is handling more of the work that used to be entry level—research, first drafts, and basic analysis. From your perspective, does that make junior hiring more urgent or less urgent right now?
CHAD MAXWELL: AI is changing far more than entry-level jobs. It’s changing how organizations think about work, teams, and ultimately how expertise gets created. I don’t see this as a question of urgency: it’s one of intentionality.
As leaders, we have to be purposeful about designing roles, building teams, and creating learning environments that continue to develop great people. AI may change the mechanics of the work, but it doesn’t change the need for organizations to build skills.
One of my concerns is that AI becomes the justification for investing less in people because technology can do more. The opposite is true. As the way we work changes, we have to become even more thoughtful about hiring. AI gives organizations more capacity; growing people creates capability. Those aren’t the same thing and confusing them is one of the biggest risks organizations face today.
What do you actually look for in a junior candidate today that you wouldn’t have prioritized five years ago?
One thing that hasn’t changed is what I value in people. Character beats credentials.
We’re looking even more closely at curiosity, initiative, communication, adaptability, and what I call “figure-it-outers.” We want investigators, connectors, and people who naturally ask better questions that uncover new opportunities for clients and the agency.
The reality is that technical skills matter, but they can quickly become outdated.
AI will continue to evolve, but character, judgment, and a growth mindset only become more valuable. It’s not an either-or proposition. The strongest talent combines both technical capability and the ability to keep learning.
Some firms are pulling back on entry level headcount and leaning on AI to fill the gap. What’s the case against that approach?
Leaders have always faced the same challenge: How do we develop the next generation of experts? The need remains constant, but the way we train employees continues to evolve.
Most conversations about entry-level hiring focus on staffing models, succession planning, or labor economics. Those are important discussions, but the bigger issue is organizational learning and how it is created and institutionalized. AI is forcing organizations to rethink what that looks like – no matter what level.
If companies eliminate opportunities to learn without intentionally replacing them, they may become more efficient today but quietly reduce their ability to solve problems.
Efficiency creates capacity. Learning creates capability. Organizations need both.
For the complete interview with Maxwell, go here.
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