Mark Cuban, a prominent entrepreneur and investor, has shared targeted career advice for graduates entering the workforce. In a message on the social media platform X, Cuban advocates for new graduates to seek employment opportunities within small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs). His reasoning centers on the unique ability recent graduates possess to deliver immediate and impactful value at these organizations.
Cuban's perspective is rooted in the capabilities that new graduates often bring regarding artificial intelligence (AI), specifically the utilization of AI agents. He noted that new entrants can educate SMBs on leveraging AI agents to enhance operational workflows — a task these companies might not have the resources or time to execute manually. Through these digital assistants, smaller firms can automate and optimize processes, which Cuban views as a key arena for fresh talent to add considerable value.
He further explained that larger corporations typically do not require the same level of assistance from new graduates in this domain, likely due to established infrastructure and resources. Conversely, more entrepreneurial ventures are positioned to enthusiastically embrace the contributions of recent grads who apply AI agent technologies effectively.
Mark Cuban expressed that job seekers should recognize AI agents as a frontier where they can provide immediate, measurable improvements in operational efficiency. Many smaller organizations may not yet realize the full extent of benefits that AI agents can bring, allowing new graduates to unlock previously unconsidered avenues for advancement and innovation.
AI agents themselves are defined as virtual assistants capable of independently handling a range of tasks from initiation to completion without requiring repeated human intervention. Recent trends show a significant upswing in the adoption of such agentic AI technologies. A study conducted by Jellyfish, a service specializing in software engineering management, surveyed over 400 companies and identified an increase in agentic AI integration from 50% prevalence in December 2024 to 82% by May 2025.
Industry leaders have publicly recognized this shift. For example, Jensen Huang, CEO of Nvidia, stated earlier this year, "The age of agentic AI is here," underscoring the technology's growing presence. Similarly, Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, likened AI agents to junior-level employees in organizational hierarchies. Morgan Stanley, in a November 2024 report, projected that AI shopping agents alone could contribute an additional $115 billion to the US e-commerce sector by the year 2030.
Cuban's guidance emerges at a time when graduate employment prospects are particularly challenging. Reports from the employment platform Handshake indicate a contraction in available job postings, which fell by 15% year-over-year as of May 2025. Concurrently, competition intensified, with applications per job posting increasing by 30%. These statistics reflect a tighter labor market landscape for new entrants.
Handshake's data also reveal that more than one-third of all full-time applications submitted by recent graduates were directed at companies with a workforce size of 250 employees or fewer. This suggests a noteworthy inclination toward smaller firms among job seekers. In response, these small businesses are competing for Gen Z talent by offering work arrangements appealing to this demographic, such as remote work options. Workplace researchers conveyed to Business Insider that such flexible policies are strategically employed by smaller enterprises to stand out against larger corporations in attracting skilled young workers.
In conclusion, Cuban's advice highlights a convergence of technological opportunity and labor market dynamics. Smaller firms not only provide fertile ground for new graduates to integrate AI agent solutions but are also adapting to evolving employee expectations regarding workplace flexibility. For graduates navigating a competitive job environment, targeting SMBs may provide a pathway to both meaningful contribution and desirable working conditions.