AI Expert: Traditional School and University Degrees to Lose Value in the Future

Artificial intelligence is set to fundamentally change the job market. Annika von Mutius, founder of the HR software provider Empion, delivers a sobering message to the younger generation: their economic value will be relatively low in the future.

While Artificial Intelligence (AI) is integrating into the economy, a revolutionary transformation of work processes is not yet fully evident. "The anticipated productivity gains from AI systems are still absent in many areas," states Annika von Mutius, founder of the AI startup Empion. A doctor of mathematics, she founded her company three and a half years ago. The 31-year-old utilizes AI in her human resources management software to streamline the application process between companies and candidates, ensuring a better alignment of requirements, expectations, and skills. Von Mutius observes, both within her own company, among clients, and across the entire job market, that while jobs are being reshaped by AI, the process has so far unfolded slower than expected.

According to von Mutius, many companies are still hesitant to fully embrace AI implementation. In the USA, the adoption rate stands at 60 to 70 percent, whereas in Germany, it averages closer to 20 percent. These figures vary by industry: while the fintech sector leads, her own field, human resources, lags significantly with an application rate of just 10 to 15 percent.

Approximately two and a half years after the launch of ChatGPT ignited a new wave of AI innovations, a clearer picture is gradually emerging of how this new technology will reshape life and work. Speculation about job losses due to AI has been ongoing for years, but precisely who will be affected, when, and to what extent remains uncertain.

Dual Study Programs Will Gain Relevance

Nevertheless, a sharper outlook is slowly forming. Generative AI systems enable access to the entire stored knowledge of humanity. This facilitates the holistic processing of information in numerous fields, leading to superior conclusions. "Consequently, traditional school and university degrees will hold less value in the future," von Mutius asserts. "Ultimately, jobs based purely on knowledge work, including entry-level positions, will become obsolete." Their future economic contribution will therefore be relatively minimal.

This presents a sobering prognosis for the younger generation. Conversely, the Empion CEO sees an opportunity to mitigate inequalities between different educational levels. However, she stresses that the education system must undergo fundamental reform. "If the sole acquisition of knowledge is no longer the primary objective of education, then the interplay between theory and practical application becomes critically important," von Mutius explains. "Therefore, models like dual study programs will gain significant relevance." Entrepreneurs, managers, and policymakers in labor and education must collectively identify existing knowledge and competency gaps and define the necessary qualification measures to equip individuals for roles in an AI-driven workforce.