Stanford's 2026 AI Index just dropped. Junior developer employment is down 20%. Here's what the data actually says.

The Stanford Institute for Human-Centered AI released its 2026 AI Index today. It is the most comprehensive annual measurement of where AI actually stands — not where the press releases say it stands. One number is going to dominate headlines for the next week. Employment among software developers aged 22 to 25 has fallen nearly 20% since 2024, even as their older colleagues' headcount continues to grow. Before you panic or dismiss this, it's worth understanding what the data actually says, what