The rapid adoption of artificial-intelligence coding tools and a wave of tech-sector layoffs are eroding the once-rosy job market for entry-level software engineers, according to a New York Times report circulating widely on 11 August. Computer-science graduates who expected starting pay of around $165,000 now say they are struggling even to secure interviews, with some turning to hourly work at restaurants such as Chipotle Mexican Grill. Data underscore the reversal. Among U.S. graduates aged 22-27, unemployment stands at 6.1 % for computer-science majors and 7.5 % for computer-engineering majors—more than double the rate for biology or art-history graduates—while the number of undergraduates studying computer science has climbed to roughly 170,000, the Computing Research Association says. Industry executives and economists cite several forces behind the squeeze: aggressive cost-cutting after pandemic over-hiring, continued hiring freezes at firms including Amazon, Intel, Meta and Microsoft, and growing reliance on AI assistants such as GitHub Copilot and CodeRabbit, which can generate or debug code in seconds and reduce demand for junior developers. Individual accounts illustrate the broader trend. Purdue University graduate Manasi Mishra said her only interview request came from Chipotle, while Oregon State alumnus Zach Taylor has applied for nearly 5,800 tech positions, securing just 13 interviews and no offers. Many applicants describe months-long searches marked by automated résumé rejections and “ghosting” from employers. Policy makers and companies are shifting focus toward advanced AI skills. Microsoft last month committed $4 billion to technology and funding for AI training, and President Donald Trump’s new national AI action plan emphasizes steering more students into AI-related roles. Until demand for junior coders recovers or training catches up with workplace needs, however, graduates face a markedly tougher path into the industry they were told would guarantee six-figure pay.