Jad Tarifi Google: AI Making Law & Med Degrees Obsolete?

Jad Tarifi

In a rapidly changing world driven by artificial intelligence, traditional routes to success, like earning degrees in law or medicine, are being questioned. Jad Tarifi, founder of Google's first generative AI team and a PhD in AI, warns that higher education as we know it could soon become obsolete.

Tarifi, who earned his doctorate in 2012 when AI was still a niche field, now believes that the rapid pace of technological progress is surpassing the advantages of lengthy academic pursuits. "Higher education is on the verge of becoming obsolete," he told Fortune. Instead of focusing on credentials, he recommends that young people prioritize developing unique perspectives, emotional intelligence, agency, and meaningful human connections.

For Gen Z, who are already facing tough job markets, the urge to pursue advanced degrees for a competitive edge might backfire. Tarifi warns against jumping into PhDs or professional programs, noting that by the time students graduate, AI could have solved many of the problems they're studying. "AI itself is going to be gone by the time you finish a PhD," he shared with Business Insider. Even specialized fields like AI in robotics might be outdated upon completion.

Tarifi's perspective on fields that need years of intense training, like law and medicine, is especially eye-catching. He argues that these degrees require so much time that they might end up wasting precious years as AI advances rapidly. In medicine, for example, curricula often depend on outdated memorization methods that AI can easily outperform. "What you learn in medical school is so outdated," Tarifi stressed.

He suggests alternatives: Dive into interdisciplinary niches like AI applied to biology, or skip formal degrees altogether in favor of self-directed learning and real-world skills.

Tarifi isn't alone in this view. Industry leaders are raising similar concerns about higher education's disconnect from modern needs.

• Mark Zuckerberg: On Theo Von's podcast, the Meta CEO highlighted how colleges fail to prepare students for today's jobs, exacerbating issues like student debt. He noted a growing acceptance that not everyone needs a degree, especially for non-traditional roles.

• Sam Altman: The OpenAI chief executive revealed that models like GPT-5 already perform at PhD-level expertise across topics, calling it "unimaginable" in historical context.

• Bill Gates: Even the Microsoft co-founder admits AI's acceleration has caught him off guard, underscoring the need for adaptability over rote credentials.

The main message. Success in the future won't depend on diplomas but on human-centric skills that AI can't match, like deep interpersonal connections and self-awareness. As costs increase and curricula fall behind, reassessing the value of higher education becomes vital. For aspiring professionals, Tarifi's advice serves as a wake-up call: Focus on what makes you irreplaceable in a machine-enhanced world.

This isn't about dismissing education entirely but evolving it. By blending AI literacy with personal growth, the next generation can navigate uncertainty with confidence.