A leading computer science professor says that graduates across the board are now finding it difficult to secure jobs, signalling a deeper shift in the tech industry.
UC Berkeley’s Hany Farid warns that computer science, once considered a safe bet for employment, has entered a period of turmoil. The professor told the “Particles of Thought” podcast that “for people like your son … it is future-proof — that changed in four years,” noting that “something is happening in the industry.”
Farid said the dynamic has shifted — now students “are happy to get one job offer” instead of multiple offers and high salaries. He attributes the decline to a “confluence of many things,” including AI, but cautions against blaming it on AI alone.
To adapt, the professor says he’s altering his advice: “What I used to tell people is to become really, really good at one thing. Now, be good at a lot of different things because we don’t know what the future holds.” He adds, “those who use breakthrough technologies will outlast those who don’t.”