Fear of unemployment due to AI makes my students skeptical about university degrees

During recent seminars at universities in Ho Chi Minh City, I was often asked whether degrees are still necessary when AI is becoming increasingly prevalent across all sectors. Many students are worried that AI might "steal" their future jobs. However, I believe these concerns are largely unwarranted and, in some cases, could even hinder personal development. The purpose of AI is to enhance human capability, not to replace us.

Throughout history, similar fears have emerged with every major technological advancement. Take, for example, the transition from stone tools to bronze and iron tools. While we don't have specific records, it's likely that people feared the loss of jobs as new, more efficient tools were introduced.

A clearer historical example of such anxiety is the Luddite movement in early 19th-century England. When mechanical looms were introduced, handloom weavers protested, fearing their livelihoods would be replaced by machines. They stormed factories in protest. But did the textile industry disappear? No, it evolved. The industry shifted from handcrafted textiles to mass-produced goods. Productivity soared, garment production exploded, and crucially, a multitude of new jobs were created, from yarn production to garment making and distribution.

Similarly, the Industrial Revolutions in the 18th and 19th centuries saw the birth of entire new industries, from metallurgy to mechanics, automobiles, and energy. These innovations not only created millions of jobs but also fueled the global economy, improving living standards worldwide.

Now, AI is once again transforming the labor market. In healthcare, AI systems like IBM Watson Health are assisting doctors in making more accurate diagnoses. In education, AI is enabling personalized learning, tailoring the experience to individual students. In business, companies like Amazon and Walmart are utilizing AI to optimize supply chains and predict customer demand.

A woman takes a flower from a robot. Illustration photo by Pexels/Pavel Danilyuk

To harness the power of AI, humans must proactively learn and develop the skills needed to thrive in this new environment. Education is the key to mastering technology, ensuring we're not left behind by it. Countries at the forefront of AI, such as the United States, China, the U.K., and South Korea, also have some of the most advanced education systems, with a strong focus on STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) fields. According to McKinsey's 2021 forecast in "These are the skills you will need for the future of work" and the World Economic Forum's 2025 report, skills like programming, data analysis, and AI operations will play crucial roles in the future workforce. Critical thinking, creativity, and teamwork—skills that cannot be automated—are becoming increasingly valuable.

The AI revolution is not a battle between humans and machines; it's a revolution in how we think and understand the world. If machines can take over repetitive manual and mental tasks, the core human value will shift to what makes us uniquely human—creativity, critical thinking, and emotional intelligence. Leading AI experts like Kai-Fu Lee and Andrew Ng emphasize: "Technology is here to increase human capacity, not replace humans."

Rather than fearing the AI era, we should embrace it as an opportunity to elevate ourselves and society. Technology is opening doors to increased productivity, innovation, and shared prosperity. But to step through those doors, each of us needs to cultivate a mindset of continuous learning, openness, and a desire to contribute to society.

Humans must guide the development of technology, not be passive in its wake. Only by doing so can AI become a trusted companion, unleashing its full potential to enhance the lives of all people.