Demand for university degrees is decreasing across the job market, especially for roles that can now be largely automated by AI — like software engineering and customer service, according to a recent PwC report. The long-term effect could mean lower college enrollments and the cropping up of trade schools that teach students how to use AI, according to Andrew Reece, chief AI scientist at career coaching platform BetterUp.
People are rethinking the value of college as AI changes what the workforce looks like and it’s becoming easier for students to cheat, he said. And certain skillsets acquired from university classes can be displaced by emerging technologies, like the ability to code. Doctors and lawyers are still going to need their specialized education, but master’s degree programs — which fewer students are enrolling in — are likely to take a further hit, he said.
For some students, in place of bachelor’s and master’s programs, Reece envisions a kind of AI vocational school that teaches students how to apply AI to their specific career interests. Workforce development initiatives may also focus less on job-related tasks, like learning a new coding language, he said, and more on management and interpersonal communication skills.