Jad Tarifi, the founder of Google’s first generative-AI team, has cautioned that pursuing lengthy degrees, including law, medicine, or even doctoral programs, may be a poor investment of time for today’s students, as artificial intelligence (AI) is advancing faster than the pace of higher education.
![](https://thenigerialawyer.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/idrinstitute.png")
Speaking to Business Insider and Fortune, Tarifi stressed that ambitious students could end up “throwing away” years of their lives, since AI developments are likely to outpace the knowledge acquired by the time they graduate. “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,” he warned.
Tarifi, who earned a PhD in AI in 2012, now encourages students to focus on niche areas where AI intersects with other disciplines, such as biology, or to reconsider pursuing formal degrees entirely. He emphasized that future success will depend less on credentials and more on cultivating unique perspectives, emotional awareness, strong human bonds, and the ability to connect deeply with oneself and others.
Even traditionally prestigious fields like medicine and law are under scrutiny. Tarifi noted that medical school curricula are often outdated and heavily reliant on memorization, making them increasingly ill-suited to keep pace with AI-driven advancements.
Tarifi’s warnings echo broader concerns from tech leaders over the relevance of higher education in an era of rapidly evolving AI. Mark Zuckerberg recently expressed skepticism about whether college prepares students for today’s workforce, citing rising tuition costs and outdated curricula as factors creating an “unprepared workforce.”
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman reinforced these concerns, noting that the company’s latest AI, GPT-5, can perform at the level of a PhD expert. “GPT-5 really feels like talking to a PhD-level expert in any topic,” Altman said, highlighting the unprecedented capabilities of modern AI.
Despite these warnings, the pipeline from PhD programs to high-paying tech jobs remains robust. According to MIT, 70% of AI doctoral students in 2023 accepted private sector roles after graduation, compared to just 20% two decades ago. Henry Hoffmann, chair of the University of Chicago’s computer science department, expressed concern that lucrative industry offers may draw talented researchers away from academia, creating a potential “brain drain” in higher education.
With AI reshaping knowledge, careers, and education, Tarifi urges students to rethink the traditional path of extended degrees and to prioritize skills and experiences that will remain relevant in a rapidly evolving technological landscape.
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