Google AI vet warns PhDs, law, medical degrees may fade in AI era

Silicon Valley may be showering AI talent with million-dollar offers from Meta, Google, and OpenAI, but AI veteran Jad Tarifi, who built Google’s first generative AI team, warns against chasing PhDs just for the hype.

In an interview with Business Insider, Tarifi argued that by the time students finish a PhD, today’s AI breakthroughs will already be outdated. He noted that advanced studies like law and medicine face a similar risk, as long programs can leave graduates with outdated knowledge.

Tarifi, who holds a PhD himself, admitted it only suits those “obsessed” with research, since it requires years of sacrifice. Instead, he advises focusing on skills that adapt quickly, especially empathy, emotional intelligence, and the ability to use AI effectively.

He suggested meditation, social connection, and self-awareness as more valuable than traditional degrees, since “hard sciences can be learned, but emotional attunement and good taste are harder to build.”

Google DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis echoed this view, stressing that while AI may assist doctors in diagnoses, jobs requiring human empathy—like doctors and nurses—cannot be fully replaced by machines.