Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly taking over tasks previously performed by qualified specialists. In this context, a professor from the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) in Bangalore has posed a serious question to students: what is the true purpose of university education if companies begin hiring fewer campus graduates over the next five to ten years?
AI is transforming not only the technological sphere but also education and the labor market. Today, AI can write code, analyze data, prepare reports, and assist in research. Thus, many tasks that previously required human involvement can now be completed by AI in less time.
Considering these changes, Dr. Prathosh, a professor at IISc in Bangalore, raised an important question. He urged his students to consider a scenario where large companies stop hiring a large number of students from universities and colleges in the next five to ten years.
In India, the link between higher education and employment has traditionally been very direct. Students study for many years, obtain a degree, and then try to find a job through campus programs. However, AI has the potential to change this system. If a company can perform the work of one hundred people using AI with only five employees, it will require fewer new hires. This could have the greatest impact on entry-level positions, which companies typically offer to graduates.
This leads to the biggest question for students: if there are fewer employment opportunities after graduation, what is the point of spending so much time getting a degree?
The problem is not limited to campus recruitment. AI has also changed what students should learn during their studies. Previously, finding and understanding information was considered an important skill. Now, AI can gather information and explain it in simple terms in just a few seconds. Consequently, simply memorizing information may become less critical in the future. The ability to ask the right questions, verify AI's answers, and find adequate solutions to problems will be much more important.
It cannot be asserted right now that this will happen. AI is developing very rapidly, but this does not mean that universities or degrees will disappear. More likely, the way universities operate will change. Colleges may cease to be merely places for job searching and transform into centers for research, experimentation, studying new technologies, and working on real-world problems.
Students, especially those studying at leading universities, have the opportunity to work in laboratories, with professors, on research projects, and together with other students. The value of these aspects may persist even in the age of AI.
After the advent of AI, the question might not be 'What is my degree?', but 'What can I do with this degree that AI cannot do on its own?'. It is premature to say that campus hiring will cease within five to ten years. However, it is evident how quickly AI is changing education and employment, so both students and universities need to prepare for these changes.