AI, Jobs, and What We Should Be Studying in 2025
Back in 1997, when I told my aunt I was going to study Artificial Intelligence at the University of Amsterdam, she looked at me and said, “Oh, so you’re going to be the one who puts us all out of a job.”
I remember feeling furious. That wasn’t why I was drawn to AI. I wanted to understand how the human brain worked, to model it with neural networks, to capture something of human intelligence in an algorithmic form. I was just incredibly curious.
Fast forward to 2025, and AI has progressed in ways I never could have imagined. Large language models now apply reasoning, self-improve through reinforcement learning, and automate knowledge work at an unprecedented scale. The question my aunt asked me nearly 30 years ago—about AI replacing jobs—is now one of the most urgent debates in society.
Lately, I find myself on the other side of the conversation. My oldest child, now 16, is selecting a university bachelor. She’s drawn to philosophy, and some people assume I’d prefer she study AI, programming, or something more “technical.” But I don’t.
In fact, I think philosophy makes more sense than ever.
As AI agents increasingly take over tasks, what we need most is human sanity—people who can think critically, have deep conversations, and understand what it means to be human. AI can write code, optimize algorithms, and even generate creative work, but it doesn’t replace human judgment, ethics, and the ability to reflect on meaning.
So when people ask me what they should tell their kids about the future of work, I say: Don’t just focus on learning to code. Focus on understanding people. Motivation, purpose, and the structures that guide human behavior will be just as—if not more—important than pure technical skills.
We’re at a point where AI will not just change jobs but redefine what jobs are. The question isn’t whether AI will replace us; it’s how we make sure humans remain at the center of the decisions that shape our world.
Curious to hear your thoughts.
I think you make a very good point :) I'd take it broader though by saying everyone should learn much more about philosophy and critical thinking, while also putting things in practice in specific fields. In my eyes there's nothing that replaces lived experience. Anything I've thought that I thought worth thinking came from putting my philosophy and ideas in practice and learning deeper truths through their interaction with reality. So I think studying philosophy and some social sciences or even art can be a slippery slope to analysis of what's been said, rather than finding new things. But then again, it can also be not :) there's probably different things to be found in each path.
This is an incredibly important topic and a prevalent anxiety among younger generations. Thanks for sharing Arjé—and also for speaking in favor of the humanities. We don't about how the skills trained in degrees such as philosophy, media studies, communications, and the humanities at large will only help us better leverage AI and make it more sustainable.