Internships at U.S. marketing and advertising companies have declined year-over-year since 2022, with the traditional summer spike shrinking. June internships were nearly 125% higher than January in 2022, while June 2025 rose only 40% compared to the beginning of 2025. Live Data Technologies compiled data from public sources across firms including IPG, Omnicom, Digitas and Starcom. Companies are cutting labor costs through layoffs, consolidation and adoption of AI, reducing investment in early-career employees. AI and automation have driven down entry-level roles and shifted hiring toward mid- and senior-level positions. Staff roles fell nearly 11% since January 2022 while manager and director roles stayed steady.
Many careers in marketing and advertising begin with an internship. At a time when the share of young people working in the industry is decreasing, it should come as no surprise that internships are also disappearing. Figures from employment data provider Live Data Technologies show a year-over-year decline in internships at U.S. marketing and advertising companies since 2022. In addition to the overall decline, the seasonal spike in internships during the summer has also become less pronounced in recent years.
Because of that, companies are less likely to invest in early-career employees, according to analysts. The continued infusion of AI and automation has led to a decline in entry-level roles for many organizations, with hiring priority shifting to mid- and senior-level positions, said Justin Roberts, associate vice president of global culture and inclusion at independent media agency Kepler. Additional numbers from Live Data Technologies illustrate this shift. Staff positions at U.S. marketing and advertising firms have diminished nearly 11% since January 2022.
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