EY talent chief says AI has changed who joins the company; EY now requires all early-career applicants to complete ...

Artificial Intelligence is not just reshaping how corporate America works, but it’s also rewriting the rules for who gets hired and how careers progress. The Big Four firm EY says that AI is now central to its recruitment, onboarding, and promotion process, marking a dramatic shift in the traditional consulting career path. In an interview with Business Insider, Ginnie Carlier, EY Americas’ chief talent and culture officer said, “Undoubtedly, AI is changing how work is done”. She also explained that the traditional organizational pyramid is giving way to flexible career portfolios, where impact matters more than tenure or title.

Managers, Carlier added, are increasingly tasked with creating psychologically safe environments where employees can experiment with AI, fail forward, and learn — while coaching teams that include both humans and AI agents.

EY sets new hiring rules

EY now requires all early‑career applicants to complete a skills‑based assessment, ensuring candidates can grow alongside AI. The firm has also broadened its recruitment pool, moving beyond accounting professionals to include engineers, creatives, technologists, neurodiverse talent, and even candidates without degrees.

The changes are part of EY’s $1 billion investment in talent and technology, which also includes higher early‑career pay, AI‑enabled audit and tax platforms, expanded student support, and enhanced wellbeing benefits.

Career development in the AI era

EY has introduced 360 Careers, a program launched in 2024 that rotates early‑career employees across different business units to build diverse skills. Promotions are becoming more agile, with expanded use of skills assessments to align employees with roles when they’re ready for greater scope or impact.

Carlier emphasised that rote tasks like manual research or slide production are no longer prized. Instead, employees are expected to spend more time interpreting data, applying judgment to AI outputs, and telling compelling stories.

EY isn’t alone. At Boston Consulting Group, nearly 90% of employees use AI, with half using it daily. “There’s no box on our forms that says, ‘Are you using AI?’ It is an expectation,” said Alicia Pittman, BCG’s global people team chair.