Amid the boom in artificial intelligence and changes in the job market, more and more people are questioning the value of higher education. But tech leaders — those directly working on these changes — are in no hurry to abandon universities.
Amid the boom in artificial intelligence and changes in the job market, more and more people are questioning the value of higher education. But tech leaders — those directly working on these changes — are in no hurry to abandon universities.
Business Insider spoke to nine tech CEOs and executives to find out what advice they give their own children. Almost all agree: education is still important — but not for the same reasons it used to be.
Markup AI CEO Matt Blumberg says he encourages his children to get an education, but doesn’t see it as a direct path to a job.
«University doesn’t necessarily have to lead to a specific profession, especially in a world where that profession could disappear in five years,» he explains.
Other leaders share a similar view. For example, LoopMe founder Stephen Upstone believes that university is primarily about developing thinking, independence, and social connections.
Illumia CEO Greg Brown advises avoiding too narrow specializations. Instead, the university should help develop universal skills: critical thinking, communication, and the ability to adapt.
«It’s not a checkmark on a resume, but an opportunity to build skills that will remain relevant for decades,» he says.
Some leaders are directly integrating AI into their children’s education. Greenlight CEO Tim Sheehan even signed up his son for ChatGPT to help him better understand physics and math.
However, he emphasizes: AI should help learn, not think instead of a person.
Codio CEO Doug Hughes calls university «the most proven path» to opportunity. And CollegeNode co-founder Dan Ye adds: The value of education is increasingly determined not by knowledge, but by connections.
«When you bring ambitious people together and give them new ideas, it creates enormous value,» he says.
Despite the general support for education, some leaders recognize that a degree is not the only path. For example, Pathlitics CEO Amy Kopelman encourages her daughter to gain practical experience before entering college.
At the same time, CTO BairesDev Justice Eroline emphasizes: success without education is possible, but this is more of an exception.
