Laurel CPO Urges New Grads to Pursue AI Workflows Roles as Box Offers Up to $183,000
Updated
Updated · Business Insider · May 26
Laurel CPO Urges New Grads to Pursue AI Workflows Roles as Box Offers Up to $183,000
1 articles · Updated · Business Insider · May 26
Summary
Jiaona Zhang, chief product officer at Laurel, said new graduates should target an "AI workflows" role that finds AI automation opportunities across companies and implements them.
The pitch comes as AI erodes entry-level work, with Zhang arguing the job can exist in every department and effectively replace traditional business operations roles.
Laurel already hired a new graduate into the role, and that employee built a sales agent acting as a personal chief of staff for salespeople, prompting the company to expand its AI Ops team.
Box signaled similar demand earlier this month, advertising an "AI business automation engineer" role paying as much as $183,000 and saying most companies will likely create versions of it.
The recommendation adds to a broader scramble for AI-proof career paths as executives across tech debate which skills and jobs will remain valuable.
As AI automates operations, what critical human skills are we risking, and how can companies protect them?
Beyond six-figure salaries, what new governance is needed to manage the risks of these powerful new AI roles?
AI Workflow Engineering in 2026: High-Demand Roles, Skills, and Strategies for New Graduates Facing the Toughest Job Market in Years
Overview
Artificial intelligence is transforming the world of work, leading to the creation of new job categories and a major redefinition of existing roles. This shift is changing the types of positions companies need, especially within the AI sector, and is driving a dynamic evolution in how organizations are structured. As a result, there is a strong demand for specialized talent who can implement and integrate AI technologies into business operations. New roles like AI workflow engineers are emerging, offering high-value opportunities for those who can adapt and develop the right mix of technical and human-centric skills.