Imagine spending years climbing a mountain, only to reach the top and realize the view has already shifted. That’s the picture Jad Tarifi, the founder of Google’s first generative-AI team, paints about pursuing degrees in fields like law and medicine. He warns that by the time many students graduate, AI could already be doing much of the work they trained for. Ever felt that knot in your stomach hearing things like this? We’re right there with you—because if the old roadmaps are fading, how do we guide our kids toward futures filled with hope, purpose, and resilience?
Why Are Law & Medicine Degrees at Risk from AI?
Tarifi didn’t mince words. He argued that advanced degrees in law and medicine may no longer be worth the time, because technology is evolving at such a breakneck pace. In his view, students might end up spending years chasing knowledge that AI is already mastering. But here’s the twist—by the time someone finishes a PhD, the field itself may have already moved on. As MIT found, about 70% of AI PhD graduates now head straight into private sector jobs, a huge jump from only 20% two decades ago (source). That shift alone shows how quickly the ground is moving under what we once thought were stable careers.
How AI Impacts Kids’ Future Career Paths
Hearing this, my mind instantly races to my own child, just starting her early school years. If the future really is moving this quickly, what will education even look like by the time she’s considering her own path? It’s daunting, but also exhilarating. Maybe the question isn’t about degrees at all—it’s about skills that machines can’t replace: curiosity, creativity, empathy, and resilience. These are the things that will always matter, whether the world is run by chalkboards or chatbots.
Balancing Tech & Childhood Wonder in AI Era
Of course, we can’t predict the exact jobs of tomorrow. But what we can do is create a balance today. That means letting our children explore smart tools while still climbing trees, getting messy with paint, or inventing silly games in the living room. One playful idea? Turn everyday chores into mini-adventures—like timing how fast your child can pick up toys while you hum a goofy tune. These little sparks of joy train flexible thinking far better than memorizing a dusty fact that an algorithm could spit out in seconds.
AI-Proof Kids: Why Human Bonds Matter Most
Tarifi emphasized that thriving in the future won’t come from collecting credentials, but from cultivating unique perspectives, emotional awareness, and strong human bonds. That’s powerful! It reminds us that no matter how advanced technology becomes, relationships remain the heartbeat of life. When we sit down for family meals, share laughter during weekend outings, or talk through worries at bedtime, we’re giving our kids tools more valuable than any degree could guarantee—tools that AI can’t simulate.
Parenting Tips for an AI-Driven Future
So how do we take all this and apply it to our everyday parenting? Start small. Encourage your child to ask endless questions—even the ones that seem silly. Celebrate mistakes as stepping stones, not setbacks. Introduce technology as a helpful guide, not the ultimate authority. And always carve out space for play and togetherness. These habits will prepare them not just to survive in a world where AI runs fast, but to thrive with confidence, kindness, and creativity.
Reimagining Education: A Hopeful Path Forward
At the end of the day, Tarifi’s warning isn’t a reason to panic—it’s a call to rethink. If old maps don’t work anymore, maybe that’s our chance to draw new ones alongside our kids. Does this future scare me sometimes? Maybe. But then I watch my daughter turn cardboard boxes into spaceships, and I’m reminded that imagination will always outrun prediction. With curiosity as our compass and compassion as our fuel, we can raise a generation ready for any twist the future throws their way. And that thought? It leaves me not worried, but deeply hopeful.
Source: Ex-Google exec says degrees in law and medicine are a waste of time because they take so long to complete that AI will catch up by graduation, Yahoo, 2025-08-18 16:16:25