Google's GenAI pioneer questions the relevance of 'painful' PhDs in AI. Says. 'You'll move much faster outside school'

For years, students and young professionals believed that advanced degrees were the golden ticket to success in technology. But as artificial intelligence reshapes industries faster than universities can update their curriculums, that belief is being put to the test. The latest voice to stir debate is Jad Tarifi, the man who founded Google’s first generative AI team.

In an interview with Business Insider, Tarifi argued that the traditional academic path may already be outdated. “AI itself is going to be gone by the time you finish a Ph.D.,” he said, cautioning that those investing five or more years into doctoral studies might discover that the field has already moved on.

The PhD dilemma in the age of rapid change
Tarifi, who earned his own doctorate in AI in 2012 before spending nearly a decade at Google, did not sugarcoat the realities of pursuing a PhD. He described it as a “painful” process suitable only for the deeply obsessed. For everyone else, he suggested focusing on niches where AI is still in its infancy, such as biology, or skipping advanced studies entirely.

“You will move much faster outside school,” Tarifi said, adding that students risk throwing away years of their lives if they chase traditional degrees in a world where knowledge cycles are now measured in months, not decades.

Beyond coding: the skills AI cannot replace
Interestingly, Tarifi believes the qualities most valuable in the AI-driven era are not purely technical. He told Business Insider that success may hinge on empathy, social skills, and emotional intelligence—traits that help people use AI tools creatively and effectively. “The best thing to work on is more internal. Meditate. Socialize with your friends. Get to know yourself emotionally,” he advised.

This mirrors comments by Y Combinator founder Paul Graham, who recently warned that low-level programming jobs are already disappearing because AI is “good at scutwork.” His advice: excel in something you love, because genuine passion is what drives mastery at levels AI cannot reach.

Broken promises for tech graduates
Tarifi’s warning comes at a time when computer science graduates across the United States are facing one of the toughest job markets in years. According to a New York Times report, many who once believed coding was a guaranteed path to six-figure salaries are finding themselves unemployed despite soaring tuition costs.

Entry-level programming roles, once the industry’s stepping stone, are being automated by AI tools that can generate and debug code in seconds. The Federal Reserve Bank of New York reports that unemployment among recent computer science graduates now exceeds that of art history majors. Students who applied to hundreds of jobs described the experience as “soul-crushing” and felt betrayed by the promise that a degree alone would be enough.

Rethinking the roadmap to success
With AI advancing at breakneck speed, both Tarifi and other industry leaders suggest that students need to think differently. Rather than focusing only on coding or degrees, they should look toward deeper problem-solving, specialized niches, and even the fundamentals of physical sciences. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang has stressed that the next frontier of AI will require grounding in physics and real-world reasoning, not just software skills.

So, have you missed the AI bus?
The consensus from leaders across the tech world is clear: the bus has not left the station, but the ticket is no longer stamped with “PhD” or “computer science degree.” What matters now is adaptability, creativity, and the willingness to learn continuously.

For young aspirants, that could mean carving out a niche in AI-driven biology, focusing on empathy-driven design, or simply mastering a discipline that machines cannot easily replicate. As Tarifi summed it up, you don’t need to understand every microprocessor to drive AI forward—you just need to know what to do when the road ahead changes.