Jud Tarifi founded Google’s first AI team and now heads his own startup. He says that the AI industry will soon disappear and advises to work in specialized areas.
At a time when megacorporations offer AI specialists “space” earnings and lure them away from each other, an AI developer with experience on interview for Business Insider warns against obtaining a PhD in AI, etc. This doesn’t mean that the technology will disappear – on the contrary, its successes will be so lightning fast that in a few years, most of its problems and applications will be solved.
“Artificial intelligence itself will disappear when you finish your doctoral thesis. Even things like the application of AI in robotics will be solved by then. So either do something niche, like AI for biology, which is still in the very early stages, or just don’t do it at all,” Tarifi said.
Tarifi, 42, received his Ph.D. in artificial intelligence from the University of Florida in 2012. He joined Google in 2012 and worked for the search giant for almost 10 years. In 2021, he founded his own company Integral AI. He says that doctoral studies —is a challenge that only “weird people” should take on, as it involves sacrificing “five years of life and a lot of pain.”
“I don’t think anyone should pursue a PhD unless they are obsessed with the field. If you’re not sure, you should definitely default to ‘no’ and get on with your life. You will move much faster. You will learn a lot more. You will be better able to adapt to how things change.”
The expert and entrepreneur also believes that people who want to thrive in the age of artificial intelligence must develop social skills and empathy. In his opinion, while the exact sciences can be mastered, experience in stimulating and utilizing artificial intelligence requires «emotional attunement» and «good taste».
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