TRAVERSE CITY — After high school graduates cross the stage to collect their diplomas, many may spend the next few weeks and months considering their futures and how artificial intelligence may shape them.
AI is currently adding to job market disruptions and making it difficult for those looking to start careers to know how to best position themselves for success.
A group of 33 students currently enrolled Northwestern Michigan College across more than 15 programs participated in a survey on AI and confirmed that they feel this uncertainty and aren’t sure what the future holds – either inside the classroom or out in the workplace.
It’s already changing some students’ lives.
About a third of the students who responded to the survey said they felt pressure to consider certain programs due to the advancements in AI. Six said they changed their majors.
“I stopped pursuing computer science after the introduction of AI,” an engineering student said.
More than half of those surveyed said they expect less job stability over the next 20 years because of the impact of AI, and one visual communications student noted considering changing majors because of the “irresponsible and increasing use of AI.”
A majority of the students surveyed felt that AI makes their degrees less valuable. None of the students saw the impact of AI as making educational degrees more valuable.
Terri Gustafson, NMC director of academic affairs, said she doesn’t think these perspectives reflect the reality.
Gustafson said the local employers she speaks with, and surveys done through their advisory committee, show that employers are looking for people with both traditional skills and AI experience.
Many of those employers are using AI to find efficiencies in their processes and are hoping to find workers who know when – and how – to apply it.
“Honestly, most of them were looking for employees that would walk in and understand the ethics behind it and understand when to use it and not use it,” Gustafson said.
Some NMC students who took the AI survey expressed ethical concerns.
One culinary arts student commented on the creative work that goes into menu design, social media promotion and design, and recipe writing. The student said AI can substitute human creativity which “can be considered a short-term money-saver, but takes away from the unique perspectives that come from seasoned professionals.”
As the technology evolves quickly, employers and institutions are trying to keep up.
The college is paying close attention to the expectations outside of campus, with transfer colleges and universities and employers, according to Diana Fairbanks, associate vice president of strategic communications and change initiatives.
“AI is already changing how people learn, work, and solve problems across many industries, and we have a responsibility to help students navigate that environment thoughtfully and responsibly,” Fairbanks said.
Students who answered the survey expressed uncertainty about the expectations surrounding AI and most weren’t sure how their education would prepare them for their prospective fields – especially given the impact of AI.
Gustafson said NMC is “pretty forward-thinking” on this issue.
They are trying to be intentional, she said, by gathering data and information from local employers to help guide future decisions.