BlackRock CEO, Larry Fink, has warned that 2026 college graduates could face the highest unemployment rate in years due to the effects of AI (AI) disrupting entry-level roles graduates have traditionally relied upon. Fink's warning is not about a traditional recession or a temporary hiring freeze, but about a structural imbalance in the labor market. The unemployment rate for recent college graduates rose to 5.7% in Q4 2025, while overall unemployment rate was 4.2%. Employer surveys show the weakest hiring outlook since the pandemic began. Fidelity CEO Bill McDermott estimates the jobless rate for new graduates will reach mid-30s over the next few years.