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- AI excels at processing data, but it struggles with the nuances of human connection.
- "These are things that AI is not very good at," Frey told Fortune. "It's about building trust, persuading people, negotiating.
- While AI can generate content, true creativity-the ability to produce genuinely novel ideas-remains a human strength.
Complex social interactions
AI excels at processing data, but it struggles with the nuances of human connection. carl Benedikt Frey, an economist at the University of Oxford, argues that college still provides value by honing skills in complex social interactions – something artificial intelligence can’t replicate.
“These are things that AI is not very good at,” Frey told Fortune. “It’s about building trust, persuading people, negotiating. These are skills that are very difficult to automate.”
Creativity
While AI can generate content, true creativity-the ability to produce genuinely novel ideas-remains a human strength. A college education, Frey believes, fosters this ability.
“AI can assist with creativity, but it can’t replace it,” he said. “It’s about coming up with new solutions to problems, thinking outside the box. That’s something that humans are still very good at.”
Navigating complex environments
The real world is messy and unpredictable. College, according to frey, teaches students how to adapt and thrive in these complex environments.
“It’s about dealing with ambiguity, making decisions with incomplete information, and learning from your mistakes,” Frey explained. “these are skills that are essential for success in any field, and they’re something that AI is still struggling with.”
The debate over the value of a college degree continues, especially as tech leaders like Palantir’s Alex Karp question its necessity and Apple’s Tim Cook suggest it’s not required for employment at their companies. However, economists like Frey maintain that the skills developed in higher education – social intelligence, creativity, and adaptability – will remain valuable, even as AI transforms the job market.Frey initially estimated in a 2013 paper that automation could threaten nearly half of U.S. jobs, and now believes that advancing AI may lead to more high-skilled work being offshored to countries with lower labor costs.
“if AI makes these jobs easier, you will see more activities shifting towards places where labor is cheaper, whether that’s India or the Philippines,” Frey said. “I think that’s going to put a lot of pressure on people’s wages doing knowledge work.”