I'm going to say something a little crazy... 🤯
For the last 20 years, we've lived through the Revenge of the Nerds. But I think we're about to see the Revenge of the Liberal Arts.
I made this prediction on the foHRsight podcast with the amazing Naomi Titleman Colla of future foHRward. And since then, I can't stop thinking about it. Because if it's true, it changes how every student should pick a major, how every job seeker should build a resume, and how every career coach should advise the people they serve.
So let's break it down! 👇
Then: 20 Years of the Revenge of the Nerds
You know the story. Major in computer science. Or data science. Or anything with "analytics" in the title. Learn to code, and you'll inherit the earth.
Everyone else? Left to pick up the scraps.
And for a long time, the story was basically right! Technical skills were scarce, so they were valuable. Hollywood even made movies about the people who had them.
Now: November 2022 Changed the Math
Then ChatGPT came out.
I remember that day super clearly. I asked it to build me a website. Something I could never have done the day before... done in 30 seconds. ⚡
That's the whole shift in one moment. Technical skills are still important. But now they're a commodity. When a tool can do in seconds what used to take a semester of training, the market stops paying a premium for it.
And we can already see it in the data. The latest update of Stanford's "Canaries in the Coal Mine" research found that employment for workers ages 22-25 in the most AI-exposed jobs is now about 19% below where it would be if it had kept pace with their peers in less-exposed jobs. The entry-level coding and customer service roles that were supposed to be the "safe" path are exactly where the pain is showing up first. 😮
Next: Human Skills Become the Premium
So what gets MORE valuable when the technical stuff gets cheap?
Think about it this way: How many times has an AI moved you to take really important action in your life? How many times has it moved you to tears?
Those are human skills. Connecting with people. Persuading them. Earning their trust. Understanding what makes a culture tick. And they're more valuable than ever. 🔥
That's why I was so excited to be part of the Wall Street Journal's piece on why, if you want to succeed in an AI world, you might want to study anthropology. The skills that liberal arts majors spend four years building are exactly the ones AI can't commoditize.
And here's my even bolder prediction: over the next five years, the power of a degree by itself is going to collapse. I say that as someone who works with hundreds of universities, and I desperately don't want that to happen! But if a class is teaching something AI can do in its sleep, what's a 4.0 in that class really worth?
What replaces it? The portfolio. The track record. The proof that you can actually get something done.
The Playbook: 3 Moves to Win the Revenge of the Liberal Arts
This isn't just a prediction to argue about. It's a plan you can act on today - no matter what you majored in. Each move builds on the one before it.
Move 1: Let AI Handle the Technical Baseline
Don't fight the commodity. Use it! The goal isn't to become the world's best spreadsheet builder. It's to become the person who can point AI at a problem and get a great result.
Employers are already testing for this. Some are now asking candidates in interviews not just "tell me about a time you led a team," but "tell me how you used AI to get something important done."
Move 2: Build Something Real
When I was hiring my own chief of staff, I didn't care about GPAs or a list of alleged skills. I asked one question: who's built something? The person I hired wasn't the fanciest candidate. But everywhere she'd been, she came up with a new process or a new system. That track record told me everything.
You've got tools today that no generation ever had before. So start a project, a club, a nonprofit, a tiny business. Here's a prompt to get you going:
I'm a [major/background] and I care most about [2-3 interests]. Suggest 5 small projects I could build in the next 30 days using AI tools that would prove to an employer that I can [skill you want to show]. For each one, give me the very first step I can take today.
Move 3: Show Up Human
Here's what the old boys club always got right: it was built on trust. If you put in the work to set up a coffee chat - if you found someone and reached out to learn from them - that says something about you that no AI-generated resume or cover letter ever can.
So don't just stuff your application with keywords. Reach out. Ask for 15 minutes. Show your passion for the role and the initiative to go that extra step. That's what employers are really hiring for. 🙌
The Bottom Line
Revenge of the Nerds had a great run. But when technical skills become a commodity, the people who can connect, persuade, and build trust are the ones who win.
So whatever you studied - philosophy, English, anthropology, or yes, computer science - lean into your humanity. Use AI for the rest.
🎧 Want the full conversation? Listen to the foHRsight episode here.
And if you want to make sure your LinkedIn profile is showing off your human skills, grab a free LinkedIn Profile Makeover here.
Agree or disagree with my prediction? Let me know in the Comments!