A Stanford Digital Economy Lab study reveals a 16% decline in employment for early-career workers aged 22 to 25 in AI-exposed roles, such as software development and customer service, following the spread of generative AI. The research, conducted by Erik Brynjolfsson and colleagues, highlights that more experienced workers in these roles were largely unaffected or saw employment gains. The crypto sector mirrors this trend, with approximately 1,000 jobs shifting from crypto firms to AI startups since late 2022. Companies like Crypto.com and Coinbase have announced significant workforce reductions, citing AI integration as a key factor. These cuts predominantly affect entry-level positions, including customer support and junior developer roles, leading to a sharp contraction in hiring demand across the crypto industry in early 2026.