Kendall Moffett | Contributing Writer
Competition in the job market is nothing new. However, it’s different and infuriating when students find themselves not only competing with each other, but also with artificial intelligence.
The educational shift to adapting to AI has led Florida International University to intertwine AI into educational instruction as a way to “keep up” with new societal pressures. Even with this change, LinkedIn reports around 51% of gen-z feel their degrees are insignificant in the AI driven job market.
This is alarming for many majors, some getting hit harder than others.
Leaving majors to adapt to AI is a risk in itself. Degrees such as performing arts and journalism are forced to adapt, as AI disrupts areas they never expected to be automated. This shift puts students at a major disadvantage in the AI age.
As a digital communications major, the amount of dread I feel grows every day. I worry if my skills and degree will be enough to combat the AI systems, which according to Exploding Topics, 78% of global companies use.
AI’s takeover in the market sphere isn’t slowing down. It forces some majors to compromise their traditional principles to stay competitive.
As a result certain degrees are at risk, adding another layer of anxiety for students entering the work force.
New graduates already face immense pressure in the media-saturated world, and now students have to excel in a market where AI programs already seem to be more valued than them in the jobs they’ve spent years preparing for.
It’s more than discouraging, it’s belittling.
I’m already in an insecure spot. I am frightened, fighting for a place I worked hard to earn that has become insanely competitive because AI has taken the lead. But I won’t let AI deem my degree worthless.
The answer is AI should never overshadow a hard earned degree.
Society is evolving quickly, and while it’s important to keep up with the pressures students will face in the digital age, they shouldn’t be competing with AI for their own careers.
Instead, AI should be an aiding tool for learning and education- not a replacement for newly graduated students in the workforce.
As opposed to overadapting to AI pressures before entering the workforce, the focus should remain on helping students obtain and use their degree with confidence instead of fear.
AI must not replace the value of students’ degrees. The emphasis should be dedicated to the effort put into getting those degrees, because students and people will always matter more compared to AI.
DISCLAIMER:
The opinions presented on this page do not represent the views of the PantherNOW Editorial Board. These views are separate from editorials and reflect the perspectives of contributing writers and/or university community members.
About Post Author
