A former Google executive says long degrees in law and medicine risk becoming obsolete.
He warns that AI may match or surpass human expertise by the time students graduate (Yahoo/Fortune).
This claim matters for Thai students and policymakers planning careers and education investments.
Many Thai families view professional degrees as secure paths to social mobility and stable incomes.
The former Google AI team founder made the remarks in recent interviews with business press.
He said doctoral and long professional programs take years while AI evolves rapidly (Yahoo/Fortune).
He argued students should study niche fields that pair directly with AI.
He also encouraged young people to build emotional skills and human bonds (Yahoo/Fortune).
Tech leaders have echoed concerns about higher education keeping pace with technology.
An OpenAI leader said their latest model can perform at PhD expert levels (Yahoo/Fortune).
Industry already hires most AI PhD graduates today.
Roughly 70% of PhD graduates in AI took private sector jobs in recent years, per MIT analysis (MIT Sloan).
Thai universities now include AI in plans and policies.
The Thailand national AI strategy outlines training and infrastructure goals for 2022–2027 (AI Thailand).
Thailand reports a significant gap in AI professionals compared with targets.
A 2025 assessment said Thailand needs tens of thousands more AI workers to meet goals (TDRI).
Medical and law degrees in Thailand take many years to complete.
Most medical programs last six years before internship and residency follow (Bachelorportal).
The long training timeline creates lag risks when technology changes fast.
Students may finish training with different tools and standards than those in use earlier.
Thai students and parents often consider professional degrees as safe investments.
Families often accept long study timelines to secure social respect and stable careers.
The tech-sector warning could unsettle Thai education choices and career planning.
Students may rethink costly long programs if employers value AI skills more.
Experts say the question is not whether to study law or medicine.
Experts say the question is how to adapt curricula and professional training to AI.
Medical educators worldwide already change exams and teaching to include AI tools.
Some medical schools integrate clinical decision support tools into training and assessments.
Law schools add courses on AI, data, and algorithmic fairness.
Law curricula now include tech regulation and digital evidence modules.
Thai regulators and professional bodies must update licensing and continuing education rules.
They must ensure graduates can work with AI safely and ethically.
Health systems must integrate AI governance into hospital protocols.
Hospitals must train clinicians to validate AI outputs and maintain patient safety.
Education leaders must expand short, stacked credentials and microcredentials.
These options let workers update skills faster than full degrees.
Universities can offer modular programs that combine domain knowledge and AI methods.
Students can mix medical knowledge with machine learning and data interpretation.
Private companies already recruit students before they finish PhDs.
High salaries and signing bonuses pull talent from universities into industry (Fortune/MIT).
This trend raises concerns of academic brain drain in Thailand too.
Thai universities may lose top researchers to multinational tech employers.
Thai culture values long-term study and institutional prestige.
Families often view prestigious degrees as markers of respect and social duty.
Buddhist values shape Thai attitudes toward learning and duty.
Many students pursue professions to serve family and community.
Those cultural values can coexist with rapid reskilling strategies.
Policymakers can honor tradition while updating training to meet technological change.
Policymakers should expand lifelong learning subsidies and tax incentives.
They should support mid‑career retraining and short courses in AI and ethics.
Universities should partner with hospitals, courts, and industry to design practical curricula.
They should create joint degree modules focused on applied AI in health and law.
Thai regulators should set standards for safe clinical AI deployment.
They should require validation, transparency, and regular audits for AI tools used in care.
Medical boards can require AI literacy in continuing medical education.
Doctors should learn how to interpret AI outputs and explain them to patients.
Law societies can require attorneys to learn digital evidence and AI risk assessment.
Lawyers should know how to challenge or use algorithmic outputs in court.
Students should evaluate opportunity cost when choosing long professional degrees.
They should weigh years in school against the speed of change in their field.
Students who choose medicine or law should seek AI and data training concurrently.
They should take coding, statistics, and AI ethics courses during their degrees.
Universities can offer fast tracks for students with prior degrees.
They can reduce duplication and speed up credentialing for experienced learners.
Employers should support on‑the‑job training and apprenticeships.
Companies can fund internships that blend practical work and formal learning.
Thailand’s national AI strategy already targets teacher training in digital skills.
The plan aims to develop an ecosystem for AI education and workforce training (AI Thailand).
International partners also offer programs to accelerate Thai AI skills.
Global tech firms and universities run fellowships and short courses in Bangkok and online.
The Ministry of Education in Thailand has piloted AI programs with private partners.
Recent collaborations aim to integrate AI literacy into K‑12 and higher education (Microsoft news).
Budget constraints remain a barrier for many Thai students to access rapid reskilling.
Policymakers must ensure training subsidies reach regional and low‑income learners.
Rural universities and provincial hospitals need targeted support for digital upgrades.
They require funding, broadband, and local teacher training to adopt AI tools.
Ethical and legal frameworks must guide AI use in medicine and law.
Regulations should protect patient privacy and ensure fair legal outcomes.
Thailand lacks comprehensive AI laws and risk‑based regulation as of 2025.
Assessments note gaps in AI governance and suggest regulatory roadmaps (TDRI).
Policymakers must balance innovation and protection.
They should enable startups while safeguarding public interest.
Universities should emphasize human skills that AI cannot easily replicate.
They should teach communication, empathy, judgment, and ethics.
Clinical training should emphasize patient relationships and shared decision making.
Doctors should use AI to support, not replace, human judgment.
Law training should emphasize advocacy, moral reasoning, and community trust.
Lawyers should use AI tools while keeping client relationships central.
Industry leaders must participate in curriculum design and internships.
Companies should commit to transparent hiring and responsible use of AI.
Professional bodies should create joint review panels for AI tools.
Panels can include clinicians, lawyers, technologists, and ethicists.
Thai employers should offer clear pathways for credential recognition.
They should accept microcredentials and portfolios in hiring decisions.
Students can protect career value by building portfolios with demonstrable projects.
They should publish case studies, code repositories, or clinical audits involving AI.
Universities can use competency‑based assessment to certify skills quickly.
Assessments can focus on real tasks rather than seat time.
Regulators should streamline licensing for qualified foreign professionals to plug gaps.
Temporary schemes can ease shortages while domestic training scales up.
Public communication must explain how AI complements professions in plain language.
Officials should reassure families that medicine and law remain human services.
Thai policymakers should set national targets for AI literacy in health professions.
They should measure progress with clear, time‑bound indicators.
Universities should monitor graduate outcomes and adapt programs accordingly.
They should track employment sectors and skill gaps each year.
Donors and foundations can fund scholarships for underserved learners in AI fields.
Targeted scholarships can reduce inequality in reskilling opportunities.
Investing in teacher training yields long‑term gains in student adaptability.
Skilled teachers can embed AI awareness across subjects at all levels.
Civil society groups should monitor AI impacts on access to justice and health.
They should report biases and advocate for vulnerable groups.
Thailand should join regional dialogues on cross‑border AI certification and standards.
ASEAN collaboration can harmonize training and professional recognition.
Students and parents should ask practical questions before enrolling in long degrees.
They should ask about AI content, hands‑on training, and industry links.
Prospective medical and law students should seek programs with embedded AI modules.
They should also pursue internships with hospitals or legal clinics using AI.
Universities should make curricula transparent and publish skill maps for each program.
Students should compare programs on outcomes, not just prestige.
The former Google executive’s warning is a useful prompt for reform.
Thailand can use the warning to accelerate practical, culturally sensitive changes.
Actionable short list for Thai education leaders and students follows.
Policymakers should fund lifelong learning, regulators should update licensing, and universities should modularize curricula.
Students should consider blended pathways with microcredentials and work experience.
Families should evaluate cost, time, and alternatives to very long degree tracks.
Hospitals and law firms should pilot AI governance programs quickly.
They should document outcomes and share lessons with universities and regulators.
Universities should set up cross‑disciplinary labs combining medicine, law, and AI.
These labs can train students on real problems and validate AI tools.
The Thai government should fund regional AI training hubs outside Bangkok.
This approach will reduce urban concentration of skills.
All stakeholders should commit to ethical AI principles and transparent audits.
Regular public reporting can build trust and guide continuous improvement.
Young people can thrive by combining technical skills with human strengths.
They can protect their career value by learning continuously and building social bonds.
The debate about the value of long degrees will continue.
Thailand can lead by updating education systems while honoring cultural values.