A new study finds that increased remote work after the pandemic is associated with higher unemployment among young, recently graduated job seekers. Rather than pointing to artificial intelligence as the main factor, the research suggests that businesses become more hesitant to hire inexperienced workers when jobs are done remotely. The study, released Monday and conducted by or associated with the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, compares occupations that can be performed remotely with those that cannot. It reports that remote-compatible roles—often requiring skills more aligned with established experience—tend to be affected differently in hiring patterns than in-person work. As remote arrangements expand, the study argues, fewer entry-level opportunities may be available to young workers who are still building experience, contributing to rising unemployment rates for recent college graduates. Overall, the findings emphasize that labor-market outcomes for new entrants are influenced by the structure of work arrangements, including whether roles can be performed remotely, rather than by claims that AI is the primary driver of job losses for young people.