As Silicon Valley races to secure AI talent with million-dollar offers, Jad Tarifi, who founded Google’s first generative AI team, has cautioned against pursuing a PhD solely to ride the AI wave. Speaking to Business Insider, Tarifi argued that by the time students complete a PhD, today’s AI problems will already be solved. He advised focusing on niche areas like AI for biology, which remain in early stages, or avoiding the field altogether.
Don’t even bother getting a law or medical degree, because AI’s going to destroy both those careers- Man behind Google’s AI programFormer Google AI leader Jad Tarifi warns that pursuing lengthy degrees like Ph.D., law, or medicine may be futile as AI evolves too rapidly, urging… pic.twitter.com/6X4jhAgLoi
— Rifnote (@viarifnote) August 22, 2025
Jad Tarifi, who holds a PhD in AI from the University of Florida, admitted that while he pursued doctoral studies himself, he believes such programs are only for people deeply obsessed with the field. He described the process as requiring immense sacrifice, calling it “five years of your life and a lot of pain,” and advised most people against pursuing a PhD unless they are truly passionate.
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Tarifi argued that the pace of AI innovation makes long academic programs less useful, since individuals can often achieve more by engaging directly with the real world. He said skipping extended degrees allows people to learn faster, adapt more easily, and keep pace with rapid technological changes. His advice to those who feel uncertain: default to “no” when considering a PhD.
Ram’s Scoop
Jad Tarifi, a former Google AI engineer who founded Google’s first generative AI team, strongly advises against pursuing a PhD just to capitalize on the current AI hype. He believes that the field of AI is evolving so rapidly that by the time someone completes a… pic.twitter.com/ysqlb3KulH
— Ram (@RamKrishna73863) August 21, 2025
The AI veteran also warned that lengthy professional degrees like law and medicine are facing obsolescence. He criticized medical education in particular for being outdated and overly focused on memorization, claiming that people waste eight or more years pursuing advanced qualifications that may not hold the same value in the future.
Instead of chasing traditional degrees, Tarifi emphasized developing internal qualities like empathy, emotional awareness, and adaptability. He believes that while technical skills can be learned, effectively prompting and using AI requires “good taste” and “emotional attunement.” He encouraged practices such as meditation, self-awareness, and building strong social connections. His views align with Google DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis, who recently said that human empathy will remain irreplaceable by AI, especially in professions like medicine and caregiving.
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