The CS major has unexpectedly faced a setback, with an unemployment rate twice that of art history majors. It's said that one can earn tens of millions a year in just five years, yet universities are banning Cursor.

In the era of the AI wave, a CS major no longer guarantees a stable career. A round - table discussion by Y Combinator revealed that in this topsy - turvy era, both college students and working professionals need to ponder: What skills are most important in the AI era, and how should one make choices?

Is this the last window of opportunity for CS graduates to get rich in this AI - “crazy” era?

The perfect example is right in front of us. Michael Truell, a 25 - year - old MIT dropout, built Cursor, a company valued at billions of dollars, in less than two years.

This is not only a “temptation” for young people. Even seasoned investors are wondering, “Should I also jump in?”

However, on the other end of the AI spectrum, CS graduates are facing an unemployment rate twice as high as that of art history graduates. The situation has completely reversed.

Official statistics from newyorkfed.org

Should you use AI to create a new chapter in history? Or should you cash in on the hype in the capital market?

Is going to class still useful? Are certificates still valuable? Even, is college still relevant? “Should I drop out and start a business?”

“How to spend your 20s in the AI era” has become a brand - new proposition. History is accelerating wildly before the singularity, accompanied by chaos.

Perhaps it's not just the “20 - somethings” who are pumped up. People in their 30s, 40s, and 50s can also think about this question: “Can I use AI to change my life, or will I be swept away by it?”

YC, the most famous startup accelerator in the United States, yes, the same one where Altman of OpenAI was once the head, held an “open” four - person round - table discussion.

The audience was filled with young people and students eager for wealth. When facing these future stars who will shape our society, what really matters?

“The best time to start a company in history”

The core lies in good “taste”, but you can't learn this in school.

“Halo farming,” where you create a false image on social media, is fake.

Do you really like college, or is the fear of missing out (FOMO) driving your decision to drop out?

Investors have portfolios, but you only have one life.

When starting a business in a niche industry, find the first 10 - 100 random people who truly love your product.

In the AI era, it's better to start with a niche market because no one knows how big this market will be in the future.

During the discussion, the most interesting part was when Diana asked, “Do you learn more in school or from working on projects?” Almost everyone in the audience raised their hands - of course, it's from working on projects.

Billions of dollars, a higher unemployment rate for CS graduates than art history graduates, getting rich overnight, the end of capitalism, and does college still have a purpose...

This is the best of times

This is also the worst of times

Does being a programmer still equal being middle - class? Is college obsolete?

The unemployment rate of CS majors is actually higher than that of art history majors. Yes, 6.1% vs. 3.0%. The data is real and surreal.

It's hard to believe, but don't worry. These are just medians or averages. Everyone here is several standard deviations above them.

Those who are invited by YC, or are interested in YC and participate in its activities, are all geniuses who are either aspiring to start a business or already in the process. However, this phenomenon is indeed worrying.

The world seems to, no, it has been turned upside down.

More importantly, there's a real core change. The “certificate - based authentication” system in college and society seems to be useless.

Previously, you studied, got into a good college, did internships, found a good job, took out loans, and bought a house. This meant you were following instructions well.

But this is what AI is very good at, “following instructions”. It's hard for people to compete with AI in this regard.

So, the question is, have you ever thought about what you can really gain from college now?

Having autonomy and independence is what truly matters in the post - AI era.

For example, many computer courses in colleges are actually severely outdated, and some colleges even prohibit students from using AI tools like Cursor.

Just like when Google first emerged, many teachers said, “You're not allowed to use Google.” It sounds unbelievable today.

Differences in the order of magnitude of wealth growth & Staying honest

What a college graduate can achieve in one or two years today is several orders of magnitude higher than a few years ago.

Previously, getting a Series A investment for a startup was something to brag about for a long time. Now? With just 5 or 10 people, a startup can grow from zero revenue to tens of millions of dollars in annual revenue in just a few years. It's crazy.

There might even be media, like TechCrunch, declaring you the “hottest new founder.”

Take Alexandr Wang of Scale AI as an example. It's even more insane. Zuckerberg wanted to acquire him for $15 billion.

This is an exciting era, but all the media hype, news, and glory are false.

“Whether you've created a product that truly changes the world” is perhaps what really counts.

This is determined by your taste. Remember, you must cultivate the taste to create great things.

Go to the front line and become a “deployment engineer”

“I don't have any specialized knowledge in a particular field because I haven't worked much in the industry. What direction should I take?”

This might be the question of every student who wants to start a business. YC's advice is to go “undercover.”

Go to the real front line of business and to the areas you're truly interested in.

Just like OpenAI and SpaceX, they were born out of the founders' interests and intuitions, with no initial commercial intentions.

But in the end, this was enough to attract the smartest talents in the world.

Only by attracting real geniuses can you create a company that stands the test of time.

Social media, the biggest variable

One obvious difference between today's era and a decade ago is social media.

How can you use it to amplify your message and build your brand?

In the early stages of a startup, should you focus on perfecting your product and acquiring users one by one, following all the traditional startup advice? Or should you try to build an online following, create a brand, and attract attention?

However, when you think about Theranos and those events that have brought shame to technology creators, once you scratch the surface, you'll find there's nothing inside.

It's just an illusion.

It's an out - and - out lie.

I don't want us to end up like that.

I've already started a business. Should I drop out of college?

During the discussion, an entrepreneur incubated by YC asked, “Should I drop out of college? An investor told me to quit school and work with him.”

Garry and Jared believe it depends on: Do you really enjoy college life?

Or is it the FOMO of AI entrepreneurship that's making you afraid of missing out?

If you've had internships, worked at big companies like Google, and have in - depth experience in academic research, meaning you've tried all possible paths, perhaps you can make the right decision.

But note that you only have one chance.

When investors evaluate companies, they can choose from many and have a portfolio.

But you only have one life.

Graduate students in machine learning

Should they choose the industry or academia?

If you're still confused about how to live a better life in the AI era, perhaps a real - life example can inspire us.

Ma Tengyu is an assistant professor in the Department of Computer Science at Stanford University, and also the co - founder and CEO of Voyage AI.

He currently serves as the Chief AI Scientist at MongoDB.

In a recent interview, he talked about this topic.

Ma Tengyu mainly focused on combinatorial mathematics and theoretical computer science during his undergraduate years and only truly started to engage with machine learning during his graduate studies.

Coming from a top - tier academic institution to the front lines of the industry and entrepreneurship, Ma, the founder of Voyage AI and a Stanford professor, based on his experiences in academia, industry, and entrepreneurship, has put forward multi - level advice for undergraduates, graduate students, and early - career professionals.

For young people who are considering whether to pursue a Ph.D., start a business, or enter the industry, he has proposed a practical thinking framework.

1. Career paths are subjective choices:

· There's no one - size - fits - all standard. Career choices highly depend on personal interests, goals, and skills.

2. A graduate degree is the foundation for research work:

· If you want to engage in research - oriented work or start a startup with a strong research background, graduate education is an important preparatory step.

· For non - research - oriented career paths, such as engineering development, an undergraduate degree is often sufficient, especially for those with strong practical skills and project experience.

3. Whether to pursue a graduate degree for entrepreneurship depends on the direction:

· Many startups don't require a graduate background, especially product - or execution - driven companies.

· However, for companies with high technological barriers and a need for algorithmic innovation, a solid research background might be a prerequisite.

4. Writing papers and starting a business are not contradictory:

· Writing papers can be a preparation or validation before starting a business. Especially for technical founders who have just graduated from graduate school and have an unremarkable resume, academic achievements can help gain the trust of investors.

· Dropping out to start a business might even be more attractive to investors because they value the founder's “sunk cost” and willingness to fully commit.

5. Entrepreneurship should have a clear vision rather than just exploration:

· Entrepreneurship shouldn't just be a “try - and - see” or exploratory endeavor. Successful founders usually have a clear vision of the product form and user value in the early stages.

· Although there are a few “outlier” cases where startups find success through long - term exploration, most startups still need a clear positioning and goal - orientation.

6. Key indicators for judging whether to start a business:

· Whether you have a product vision that truly excites you.

· Whether you have the ability and confidence to transform academic knowledge into a product.

· Whether you're willing to take on the challenge of transitioning from a research - oriented mindset to an execution - oriented model.

Reference materials:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ShYKkPPhOoc&ab_channel=YCombinator

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ku7hFYO8lOw&t=5s&ab_channel=ElevatePodcast

This article is from the WeChat official account “New Intelligence Yuan”. Author: New Intelligence Yuan, Editor: Ding Hui. Republished by 36Kr with permission.