Artificial intelligence is already changing how people work and get hired. According to Alex Karp, the shift will be especially hard for people with humanities degrees. As many headlines now repeat, Palantir CEO says AI ‘will destroy’ humanities jobs, while people with hands-on, practical skills will still find work.
Karp shared his views during a public conversation at the World Economic Forum. His words were blunt and they caught attention fast. But his message was not just about education. It was about how fast AI is reshaping the job market.
Why Alex Karp Thinks Humanities Jobs Are at Risk
Karp believes AI can already do much of what many humanities graduates are trained for. Writing, summarizing research, analyzing text, and forming arguments are now things machines can handle in seconds. That makes it harder for people with general knowledge but no clear job skill to stand out.
He even talked about his own experience. Karp studied philosophy and later wondered who would hire him. His point was simple. Deep thinking is valuable, but it is not always easy to turn into a job, especially when automation and artificial intelligence keep improving.
The Growing Value of Vocational Training
While Karp is critical of humanities degrees, he strongly supports vocational training. These are skills tied directly to real work, like software engineering, data work, manufacturing, and technical operations.
According to Karp, AI still needs people who can build systems, run them, and fix problems when things break. These jobs depend on experience and practical thinking, not just theory. That is why Palantir has promoted internships and skill-based hiring instead of focusing only on college prestige.
Other Business Leaders See It Differently
Not everyone agrees with Karp. Some business leaders say creativity, ethics, and human judgment matter more than ever in the AI age. Consulting firms and investment companies still hire liberal arts graduates, especially for roles that need communication and decision-making.
Even so, many admit that graduates now need more than a degree. They need proof they can apply what they know. The job market is less forgiving than it used to be.
How AI Is Changing College and Hiring
This debate shows a bigger shift happening right now. Employers are slowly moving away from caring where someone studied. Instead, they focus on what that person can actually do.
AI and automation are speeding this up. Skills, adaptability, and real results matter more than labels or school names.
What Students Should Learn From This
When Palantir CEO says AI ‘will destroy’ humanities jobs, it does not mean students should avoid the humanities. It means they should mix them with practical skills. Learning technology, tools, or applied skills alongside critical thinking can open more doors.
Also Read: OpenAI Ads: $25B Threat to Google by 2030
