Ex-Google AI Pioneer Questions Value of Advanced Degrees in Rapidly Evolving Tech Landscape

Ex-Google exec says degrees in law and medicine are a waste of time because they take so long to complete that AI will catch up by graduation

As undergraduate degrees have lost their payoffs thanks to AI, young people have turned to advanced schooling to unlock jobs with salaries exceeding $200,000 (or in some cases, a $100 million signing bonus). However, one former Google leader says Gen Z should not be so fast to jump on the PhD train, as even doctoral degrees may have lost their edge. "AI itself is going to be gone by the time you finish a PhD. Even things like applying AI to robotics will be solved by then," Jad Tarifi, the founder of Google's first generative AI team, told Business Insider. Tarifi himself graduated with a PhD in AI in 2012, when the subject was far less mainstream. But today, the 42-year-old says, time would be better spent studying a more niche topic intertwined with AI, like AI for biology -- or maybe not a degree at all. "Higher education as we know it is on the verge of becoming obsolete," Tarifi said to Fortune. "Thriving in the future will come not from collecting credentials but from cultivating unique perspectives, agency, emotional awareness, and strong human bonds." "I encourage young people to focus on two things: the art of connecting deeply with others, and the inner work of connecting with themselves." Even studying to become a medical doctor or lawyer may not be worth ambitious Gen Z's time anymore. They take so long to complete in comparison with how quickly AI is evolving that they may result in students just "throwing away" years of their lives, Tarifi added to BI. "In the current medical system, what you learn in medical school is so outdated and based on memorization," he said. Tarifi is not alone in his feeling that higher education is not keeping up with the shifting AI tides. In fact, many tech leaders have recently expressed concerns that the rising cost of school paired with an outdated curriculum, is creating a perfect storm for an unprepared workforce. "I'm not sure that college is preparing people for the jobs that they need to have today," said Mark Zuckerberg on Theo Von's This Past Weekend podcast in April. "I think that there's a big issue on that, and all the student debt issues are...really big." "It's sort of been this taboo thing to say, 'Maybe not everyone needs to go to college,' and because there's a lot of jobs that don't require that...people are probably coming around to that opinion a little more now than maybe like 10 years ago," Zuckerberg added. Moreover, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said that his company's latest AI model can already perform in ways equivalent to those with a PhD. "GPT-5 really feels like talking to a PhD-level expert in any topic," Altman said earlier this month. "Something like GPT-5 would be pretty much unimaginable in any other time in history." For existing AI-focused PhD students, the private-sector jobs pipeline remains strong. In fact, in 2023, some 70% of all AI doctoral students took private sector jobs postgrad, a jump from just 20% two decades ago, according to MIT. However, this increase has some academic leaders worried about a "brain drain" that could result from too many experts electing to work at tech companies -- versus staying back and teaching the next generation as professors. Henry Hoffman, the chair of the University of Chicago's Department of Computer Science, recently told Fortune that he's seen his PhD students get courted for decades -- but the salary lures have only grown. One student with zero professional experience recently dropped out to accept a "high six-figure" offer from ByteDance. "When students can get the kind of job they want [as students], there's no reason to force them to keep going," Hoffman said.

Founder of Google's Generative AI Team Says Don't Even Bother Getting a Law or Medical Degree, Because AI's Going to Destroy Both Those Careers Before You Can Even Graduate

One of the pioneers of artificial intelligence at Google is warning the potential doctors and lawyers of tomorrow that AI might steal their futures. In an interview with Business Insider, Jad Tarifi -- the 42-year-old founder of Google's first generative AI team who left in 2021 to found his own startup, Integral AI -- suggested that ever-improving AI capabilities may soon make getting advanced degrees in law or medicine an exercise in futility. With so many people seeking further education as they get edged out of the job market by AI, Tarifi offered a different perspective: that nobody "should ever do a PhD unless they are obsessed with the field." The AI veteran also told BI that he'd advise caution to anyone looking to get into the fields of medicine and law, which take years -- and often hundreds of thousands of dollars -- to complete a degree. "In the current medical system, what you learn in medical school is so outdated and based on memorization," Tarifi told the website. Seeking advanced medical or law degrees is, to his thinking, tantamount to "throwing away" several years of one's life. "I have a PhD in AI," he added, "but I don't know how the latest microprocessor works." While some would suggest that seeking postgraduate degrees in AI might help secure their futures as the technology takes over, the former Googler suggested that folks might want to pump the brakes on that, too. "Even things like applying AI to robotics will be solved" by the time you complete a PhD, Tarifi continued. "So either get into something niche like AI for biology, which is still in its very early stages, or just don't get into anything at all." Like OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, who wrongfully insists that AI has already reached "PhD-level" intelligence, Tarifi clearly has very high regard for where the technology is today and where it will soon be headed. As he explained to BI, he finds these alleged advances to be all the more reason to double down on a Silicon Valley version of what it means to be human. "The best thing to work on is more internal," Tarifi told BI. "Meditate. Socialize with your friends. Get to know yourself emotionally." He might want to add "check in with reality" to that milquetoast list of recommendations, too, given that current AI technology has repeatedly demonstrated itself to be very bad at lawyering and even worse at doctoring. Then again, anyone setting off to get a medical degree today is staring down the barrel of nearly a decade of education before they're a full doctor, so it's possible Tarifi is right, if AI continues improving at the rate it has been. On the other hand, of course, until then we're all going to have to live in a world with a looming physician shortage -- so if Tarifi is wrong, and AI does stall out, patients around the world are going to be in deep trouble.

A Ex-Google AI Pioneer Says Getting a Ph.D. in Artificial Intelligence Is No Longer Worth It. Here's Why.

AI researchers are in high demand, with some offered billion-dollar compensation packages from Meta amid the ongoing AI talent wars. However, one AI pioneer, Jad Tarifi, who founded Google's first generative AI team after obtaining a Ph.D. in AI, would not recommend higher study to break into the field. In a new interview with Business Insider, Tarifi, 42, predicted that within the five to seven years it takes to obtain a Ph.D., most of AI's problems will be solved. "Even things like applying AI to robotics will be solved by then," Tarifi told BI. Related: AI Is Going to 'Replace Everybody' in Several Fields, According to the 'Godfather of AI.' Here's Who He Says Should Be 'Terrified.' Tarifi explained that obtaining a Ph.D. was only for "weird people" who were "obsessed" with a certain field because higher education required "a lot of pain" and at least five years of their lives. He recommended staying away from the Ph.D. route altogether or choosing to specialize in a subfield of AI that is still in its early stages, like AI for biology. Tarifi received a Ph.D. in 2012 from the University of Florida, where he worked on an AI theory that combined principles from neuroscience, geometry, and machine learning, according to his LinkedIn. He then joined Google, where he became a tech lead and manager for nearly a decade, working on models for Google's generative AI projects. Tarifi is now the founder and CEO of Integral AI, a startup that focuses on creating AI agents to act autonomously on behalf of users. Related: These 3 Professions Are Most Likely to Vanish in the Next 20 Years Due to AI, According to a New Report In the BI interview, Tarifi also warned prospective students from completing degrees in law and medicine, arguing that the information in these programs was "outdated" and memorization-based. Tarifi isn't the first person to warn students away from higher degrees. Venture capitalist Victor Lazarte said earlier this year that AI is "fully replacing people" in the legal profession. He predicted that AI would take over entry-level legal positions usually filled by recent law school graduates within the next three years.

'By the time you finish, AI will be gone': Google AI Veteran explains why you should rethink PhDs and other slow degrees

Jad Tarifi, Google's generative AI pioneer, advises students to reconsider pursuing AI PhDs, suggesting the field's rapid evolution may render such degrees obsolete. He emphasises adaptability and emotional intelligence as more valuable assets in the AI age. Demis Hassabis of Google DeepMind supports this view, highlighting the enduring importance of human connection in roles like nursing. While Silicon Valley showers multimillion-dollar offers on AI talent, not everyone is buying into the hype. Jad Tarifi, the mind behind Google's first generative AI team, has a blunt message for ambitious students: think twice before chasing a PhD just to ride the AI wave. Speaking to Business Insider, Tarifi delivered a reality check that might ruffle some feathers. "AI itself is going to be gone by the time you finish a PhD. Even things like applying AI to robotics will be solved by then. So either get into something niche, like AI for biology, which is still in its infancy, or just don't get into anything at all," he said. Despite holding a PhD in AI from the University of Florida, Tarifi does not glamorise the path. He describes it as a pursuit best left to the "weird people" willing to trade five years of their life for "a lot of pain." His advice is clear: "I don't think anyone should ever do a PhD unless they are genuinely obsessed with the field." With the AI landscape evolving at lightning speed, Tarifi argues that real learning happens outside the ivory towers of academia. "If you are unsure, you should definitely default to 'no' and focus on just living in the world... You will move much faster, learn a lot more, and become more adaptive to change," he said. Tarifi's scepticism extends beyond AI. He warns that long, traditional degree paths, like medicine and law, are at risk of obsolescence. "In the current medical system, what you learn in medical school is often outdated and based on memorisation," he noted, adding that people end up "throwing away" years chasing credentials that may no longer hold value. So, how does one thrive in the AI age? According to Tarifi, emotional intelligence now matters more than technical qualifications. Skills such as prompting AI or reading context, rooted in empathy and intuition, will be far more valuable. "The best thing to work on is internal: meditate, socialise with friends, get to know yourself emotionally," he advises. This focus on empathy is echoed by Demis Hassabis, CEO of Google DeepMind. Speaking to Wired, Hassabis emphasised that roles requiring human connection, like nursing, will not be easily replaced. "There's a lot of things I think we won't want to do with a machine," he said. "Maybe a doctor's diagnosis could be aided by AI... but not everything." As AI surges forward, the lesson is clear: chasing credentials alone will not secure your future. Instead, adaptability, emotional intelligence, and a willingness to navigate uncharted territory may be the real keys to thriving in the new world.

Google's GenAI pioneer questions the relevance of 'painful' PhDs in AI. Says. 'You'll move much faster outside school'

For years, students and young professionals believed that advanced degrees were the golden ticket to success in technology. But as artificial intelligence reshapes industries faster than universities can update their curriculums, that belief is being put to the test. The latest voice to stir debate is Jad Tarifi, the man who founded Google's first generative AI team. In an interview with Business Insider, Tarifi argued that the traditional academic path may already be outdated. "AI itself is going to be gone by the time you finish a Ph.D.," he said, cautioning that those investing five or more years into doctoral studies might discover that the field has already moved on. Tarifi, who earned his own doctorate in AI in 2012 before spending nearly a decade at Google, did not sugarcoat the realities of pursuing a PhD. He described it as a "painful" process suitable only for the deeply obsessed. For everyone else, he suggested focusing on niches where AI is still in its infancy, such as biology, or skipping advanced studies entirely. "You will move much faster outside school," Tarifi said, adding that students risk throwing away years of their lives if they chase traditional degrees in a world where knowledge cycles are now measured in months, not decades. Interestingly, Tarifi believes the qualities most valuable in the AI-driven era are not purely technical. He told Business Insider that success may hinge on empathy, social skills, and emotional intelligence -- traits that help people use AI tools creatively and effectively. "The best thing to work on is more internal. Meditate. Socialize with your friends. Get to know yourself emotionally," he advised. This mirrors comments by Y Combinator founder Paul Graham, who recently warned that low-level programming jobs are already disappearing because AI is "good at scutwork." His advice: excel in something you love, because genuine passion is what drives mastery at levels AI cannot reach. Tarifi's warning comes at a time when computer science graduates across the United States are facing one of the toughest job markets in years. According to a New York Times report, many who once believed coding was a guaranteed path to six-figure salaries are finding themselves unemployed despite soaring tuition costs. Entry-level programming roles, once the industry's stepping stone, are being automated by AI tools that can generate and debug code in seconds. The Federal Reserve Bank of New York reports that unemployment among recent computer science graduates now exceeds that of art history majors. Students who applied to hundreds of jobs described the experience as "soul-crushing" and felt betrayed by the promise that a degree alone would be enough. With AI advancing at breakneck speed, both Tarifi and other industry leaders suggest that students need to think differently. Rather than focusing only on coding or degrees, they should look toward deeper problem-solving, specialized niches, and even the fundamentals of physical sciences. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang has stressed that the next frontier of AI will require grounding in physics and real-world reasoning, not just software skills. The consensus from leaders across the tech world is clear: the bus has not left the station, but the ticket is no longer stamped with "PhD" or "computer science degree." What matters now is adaptability, creativity, and the willingness to learn continuously. For young aspirants, that could mean carving out a niche in AI-driven biology, focusing on empathy-driven design, or simply mastering a discipline that machines cannot easily replicate. As Tarifi summed it up, you don't need to understand every microprocessor to drive AI forward -- you just need to know what to do when the road ahead changes.

Google's Generative AI Pioneer Warns Against Going To Law And Medical School Because Of AI. 'Focus On Just Living In The World' - NVIDIA (NASDAQ:NVDA)

Jad Tarifi, the man who founded Google's first generative AI team, doesn't think now is the time to pursue long academic paths like law or medicine. AI Disruption Makes Long Degrees Risky? In a recent interview with Business Insider, Tarifi warned that by the time someone finishes a Ph.D., the AI landscape will have completely changed. "AI itself is going to be gone by the time you finish a Ph.D.," he said. "Even things like applying AI to robotics will be solved by then." Tarifi, who joined Google in 2012 and spent nearly a decade with the company before founding his own startup, Integral AI, said people should only pursue a Ph.D. if they're obsessed with the subject. Otherwise, he said, it's a painful and unnecessary sacrifice. Don't Miss: The same firms that backed Uber, Venmo and eBay are investing in this pre-IPO company disrupting a $1.8T market -- and you can too at just $2.90/share. Kevin O'Leary Says Real Estate's Been a Smart Bet for 200 Years -- This Platform Lets Anyone Tap Into It "[You give up] five years of your life and a lot of pain. I don't think anyone should ever do a Ph.D. unless they are obsessed with the field," he said. Instead, Tarifi urged people to skip academia and engage more with the world around them. "If you are unsure, you should definitely default to 'no,' and focus on just living in the world," he said. "You will move much faster. You'll learn a lot more. You'll be more adaptive to how things are changed." And his skepticism isn't just limited to Ph.D. programs. Degrees that take years to complete, like law and medicine, are also in trouble, he said. "In the current medical system, what you learn in medical school is so outdated and based on memorization," Tarifi explained to Business Insider. "You could be throwing away eight years of your life." He's not alone in raising these concerns. Trending: An EA Co-Founder Shapes This VC Backed Marketplace -- Now You Can Invest in Gaming's Next Big Platform Former chief business officer at Google X Mo Gawdat recently called the idea that AI will replace dull work with new job creation "100% crap." On the "Diary of a CEO" podcast, Gawdat warned that even high-level roles, including CEOs, are at risk once artificial general intelligence becomes mainstream. "AGI is going to be better at everything than humans, including being a CEO," he said. Nvidia NVDA CEO Jensen Huang echoed a similar sentiment, although with more optimism. On the "All In Podcast," he said AI would eliminate mundane tasks and make people more productive. But he also warned: "If you're not using AI, you're going to lose your job to somebody who uses AI. There's not a software programmer in the future who's gonna be able to hold their own. You can't raw dog it anymore." See Also: The ECG Hasn't Changed in 100 Years -- This AI Upgrade Could Help Detect Heart Disease Years Earlier Tarifi, for his part, believes soft skills will become increasingly important. "The best thing to work on is more internal. Meditate. Socialize with your friends. Get to know yourself emotionally," he said. Prompting and using AI well, in his view, requires "emotional attunement" and "good taste" -- not just technical skills. And you don't need to know every technical detail to be useful in this new world. "I have a Ph.D. in AI, but I don't know how the latest microprocessor works," Tarifi told Business Insider. "For example, you can drive a car, but you might not know every single thing about the car. But if you know what to do if something goes wrong, that's good enough." Read Next: In a $34 Trillion Debt Era, The Right AI Could Be Your Financial Advantage -- Learn More Image: Shutterstock NVDANVIDIA Corp$178.381.94%Stock Score Locked: Want to See it? Benzinga Rankings give you vital metrics on any stock - anytime. Reveal Full ScoreEdge RankingsMomentum85.30Growth99.29QualityN/AValue6.44Price TrendShortMediumLongOverviewMarket News and Data brought to you by Benzinga APIs