The arrival of artificial intelligence is prompting students—and their parents—to favor college majors and skills they believe will remain relevant as the labor market changes.
Why this matters
AI is shifting what employers expect from entry-level hires, and colleges are responding by rethinking how they prepare students for careers. Casey Evans, interim dean at American University’s Kogod School of Business, says faculty and administrators need to focus more on what graduates will actually do with their degrees and how classroom learning maps to jobs. Families frequently ask practical questions about employer connections and internship placement rates, Evans adds.
Key numbers
- In a survey of 2,000 U.S. higher-education students by Superhuman (formerly Grammarly), 69% of respondents said they worry AI will make it harder to find a job.
- Fewer than half (45%) reported feeling optimistic about the job market after graduation.
- One in five students (22%) said they changed their major or concentration because of concerns about the job market.
Changes in curricula and sought-after skills
Current majors are not always designed for the future workplace. Leah Belsky, vice president of education at OpenAI, says employers will increasingly seek transferable skills such as critical thinking, AI literacy, leadership and collaboration.
At American University, students are taught to use AI critically: to spot errors, weigh ethical issues and judge when the technology adds value, Evans tells Axios. The school integrates AI skills with requirements in communication, teamwork, presentation and critical thinking—skills Evans says remain in demand among employers.
Student responses: two cases
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Burton Baecker, a rising sophomore at the University of California, Davis, began as an accounting major but realized AI could handle much of his coursework. He added finance to broaden his employment prospects and financial knowledge. "There's no point in going into that field anymore if AI can do it all for you," he said.
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Sammy White, a rising junior at New York University majoring in dramatic writing, tries to avoid using AI for creative tasks but is constantly aware of its impact on the arts. He does not fear a complete takeover but describes AI’s growth as a "looming thing." Believing AI will affect many majors and careers, he chose to pursue what he loves.
Reality check from employers
Evans notes that accounting firms are still actively recruiting graduates and that demand currently outstrips supply. At the same time, employers expect more from new graduates than ever before—not only in accounting but across fields.
What to watch next
As AI tools take on more tasks, predicting which jobs will change most becomes harder. New graduates are increasingly expected to manage projects and AI agents, conduct deeper research, present findings, and defend their work substantively, Evans says.
Bottom line
AI can make some tasks easier, but employer expectations for entry-level workers are rising. Students, parents and university leaders are adapting majors and curricula to meet the changing demands of an AI-influenced job market.
