Do internships still make sense in the AI era? Does your company still offer them?
Recently, I came across a discussion where someone asked whether to skip the internship and build the product with AI instead.
I see the same trend on X. Some founders are just 14, 15, or 16 years old already building tools, and some are even raising funding. AI has completely changed what's possible.
Today, we welcomed a new summer intern at Minimalist Phone. I still think internships have value. You meet people, learn how a company works, and gain experience you can't get on your own. [it gives you a clear structure about processes and how to work with collegues]
But it made me wonder...
Will internships become less common?
And if they survive, should companies redesign them so interns have a real path to a full-time role?
With AI reducing the need for many junior positions, I wonder if building your own project will become the better career path for many. What's your take?
Replies
As an undergrad - I sure hope internships remain as common as they are now! Companies still need new faces coming in, people that are willing to build expertise, and people who can do grunt work.
I think internships will remain valuable in the AI era, but their purpose may shift. AI makes it easier than ever to learn independently and build things, but internships provide something harder to replicate: exposure to real-world collaboration, decision-making, and how teams actually operate. The best internships will likely focus less on repetitive tasks and more on mentorship, ownership, and giving interns meaningful problems to solve.
I think AI makes a well-designed internship more valuable, not less. It allows people to transform their idea into actual business with less cost.