{"id":12278,"date":"2026-01-14T16:04:25","date_gmt":"2026-01-14T16:04:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/microvibenews.com\/?p=12278"},"modified":"2026-01-14T16:04:25","modified_gmt":"2026-01-14T16:04:25","slug":"down-arrow-button-icon-63","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/microvibenews.com\/?p=12278","title":{"rendered":"Down Arrow Button Icon"},"content":{"rendered":"

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College is expensive, and a growing number of skeptics have questioned its value proposition. Palantir CEO Alex Karp has said it doesn\u2019t really matter where his employees went to college, and Apple CEO Tim Cook has said a four-year degree isn\u2019t even required to work at the company. The rise of AI has only added to doubts of a degree\u2019s value. But some economists say college still holds some implicit value, like teaching students things AI could never learn how to do.<\/p>\n

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Carl Benedikt Frey is an economist at the University of Oxford and the author of a famous 2013 paper that estimated automation could put nearly half of U.S. jobs at risk. He paints a troubling picture for the future of white-collar US jobs, saying as AI advances, high-skilled work is more likely to be offshored.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf AI makes these jobs easier, you will see more activities shifting towards places where labor is cheaper, whether that\u2019s India or the Philippines,\u201d Frey told Fortune<\/em>. \u201cI think that\u2019s going to put a lot of pressure on people\u2019s wages doing knowledge work.\u201d<\/p>\n

Despite his estimation, Frey says earning a college degree is still worthwhile, as it imparts three core skills in which humans hold a competitive edge over AI: complex social interactions, creativity, and navigating complex environments.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Complex social interactions<\/h2>\n

AI has made leaps in communication advancements during the past decade. Despite that, Frey says those improvements actually make human-to-human interaction more valuable.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cThe value of social skills have gone up over the past decade, whereas the value of math skills has been trending downwards,\u201d Frey said.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s because AI can\u2019t hold a meeting as well as it can solve long division. Communication and emotional intelligence are things AI models cannot replicate\u2014at least for now\u2014maintaining their value in the workplace. A Stanford University study evaluating how AI will shift valued skills in the workplace found communication skills will grow in importance, while high-wage skills like data analysis and accounting will diminish in value.<\/p>\n

Creativity<\/h2>\n

Sure, you can ask ChatGPT to read the Rolling Stones\u2019 \u201cSympathy for the Devil\u201d in the manner of William Shakespeare, or even train an algorithm in impressionist art and ask it to turn your wedding photos into Monet paintings. But human creativity extends beyond memorizing knowledge and regurgitating it in different formats. It takes the ability to think differently and push boundaries.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you had asked an LLM in 1900, \u2018would humans ever be able to fly?\u2019\u201d Frey said, \u201cit would have concluded that there\u2019s no bird that weighs more than 30 pounds that\u2019s able to get off the ground.\u201d<\/p>\n

That is why creativity is becoming a critical trait for workers to have. The World Economic Forum\u2019s Future of Jobs Report 2025 also says creative thinking is becoming more important amid AI\u2019s rise. Frey says active discussion and debate\u2014a cornerstone of a college education\u2014is a critical activity to enhance creative thinking.<\/p>\n

Resilience<\/h2>\n

Frey says AI doesn\u2019t quite possess the resiliency to function like a human. It can provide\u2014with the click of a button\u2014a wide range of information, from a slew of complex legal cases to optimized travel itineraries. But it doesn\u2019t do well in environments that are in constant flux, as is the real world.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cAn undergraduate textbook will not have changed that much in recent decades,\u201d Frey said. \u201cAI thrives as a tutor in those relatively static environments.\u201d<\/p>\n

That means flexibility will hold more currency as AI continues to enhance. The WEF\u2019s 2025 Future of Jobs Report also named resiliency a skill that is rising in importance. And business leaders note its importance in the age of AI, saying it is a required trait to navigate the many changes a business faces amid AI adoption. While AI can help \u201cdemocratize\u201d basic information, such as what is found in a typical 101 course textbook, college prepares students to interpret that information for complex environments, according to Frey.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn professions where you have more volatility where your job changes more day to day, [those jobs] are less likely to be exposed or automated,\u201d Frey said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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