AI is evolving too fast; PhDs could soon be irrelevant
Jad Tarifi, founder of Google's first generative AI team and now CEO of Integral AI, thinks the world of artificial intelligence is moving so fast that "AI itself is going to be gone by the time you finish a PhD."
He earned his own doctorate back in 2012 and describes it as "five years of your life and a lot of pain," best suited for those truly obsessed with the field.
Fields built on memorization may become less relevant
Tarifi points out that today's AI curriculum could be outdated by the time students finish their five-to-seven-year PhDs.
He also believes fields built on memorization, like medicine, might become less relevant as AI advances.
His advice? "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."
Focus on practical skills and emotional intelligence
Tarifi encourages building practical skills and emotional intelligence over chasing formal degrees.
He says this helps you learn faster and adapt better—qualities that matter more as tech keeps changing.
This echoes what startup guru Paul Graham has said: routine programming jobs are fading out, so it's smart to focus on areas driven by genuine passion.