Value of an English degree in the age of AI?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:An English degree is even more important in the AI age. What most do not realize is that the major is not only about writing, but learning how to interact with others in different settings, critical analysis, understanding and interpreting the big picture, etc.

Imagine thinking English is the only major or even the best major for learning those things.

Certainly one of the better ones, at least for people who have more understanding and open mind than you.

So you attack someone who says English is not the only major or the best major for learning critical analysis etc. for being closed minded? You're not impressing me with your English major ability to interact with others, do critical analysis, or understand the big picture - and you're not demonstrating much open-mindedness to the skills developed in other majors.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Most English majors go to law school, medical school, or other graduate school or they go on to teach in K-12, or general professional office jobs (e.g., HR, project management etc)-- depending on what internships they did, other specialized skills they picked up along the way. So it kind of depends which direction you take with it.

AI threatens most CS majors just as much as any others. I would focus on doing a major in whatever field you're interested in and you have the most aptitude for. Then accrue internships and specialized in-demand skills to suit the moment you graduate. After that initial hire, you become more about your work history than your major.

If CS were about writing inefficient 10-line functions that are easy to describe, then sure, it would be a threat, but it's a long way from being able to do anything useful or complex. It is however a wonderful assistant. It beats StackOverflow, hands down.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Most English majors go to law school, medical school, or other graduate school or they go on to teach in K-12, or general professional office jobs (e.g., HR, project management etc)--

AI is going to gut those professions as well.

What it will do to K-12, still remains to be seen, but when AI is good enough to teach home school (and that day will come), watch out.

Gut? Hardly. I for one would never allow AI to defend me in a court of law or do a procedure or operate on me if needed

Most doctors are not surgeons. Most lawyers are not litigators. Doctors do not spend the majority of their time operating, lawyers do not spend the majority of their time in court. There is a great deal of what both of those professions do that will be replaced by AI.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Most English majors go to law school, medical school, or other graduate school or they go on to teach in K-12, or general professional office jobs (e.g., HR, project management etc)--

AI is going to gut those professions as well.

What it will do to K-12, still remains to be seen, but when AI is good enough to teach home school (and that day will come), watch out.

Gut? Hardly. I for one would never allow AI to defend me in a court of law or do a procedure or operate on me if needed

Most doctors are not surgeons. Most lawyers are not litigators. Doctors do not spend the majority of their time operating, lawyers do not spend the majority of their time in court. There is a great deal of what both of those professions do that will be replaced by AI.

A better way to describe this is enhanced by AI so they can be more productive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Most English majors go to law school, medical school, or other graduate school or they go on to teach in K-12, or general professional office jobs (e.g., HR, project management etc)--

AI is going to gut those professions as well.

What it will do to K-12, still remains to be seen, but when AI is good enough to teach home school (and that day will come), watch out.

Gut? Hardly. I for one would never allow AI to defend me in a court of law or do a procedure or operate on me if needed

Most doctors are not surgeons. Most lawyers are not litigators. Doctors do not spend the majority of their time operating, lawyers do not spend the majority of their time in court. There is a great deal of what both of those professions do that will be replaced by AI.

What AI will do is to simply the administrative tasks and burdens and enhance the work that doctors do, not replace them. Its the middle managers and assembly line type workers most at risk.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:An English degree is even more important in the AI age. What most do not realize is that the major is not only about writing, but learning how to interact with others in different settings, critical analysis, understanding and interpreting the big picture, etc.

Imagine thinking English is the only major or even the best major for learning those things.

Certainly one of the better ones, at least for people who have more understanding and open mind than you.

So you attack someone who says English is not the only major or the best major for learning critical analysis etc. for being closed minded? You're not impressing me with your English major ability to interact with others, do critical analysis, or understand the big picture - and you're not demonstrating much open-mindedness to the skills developed in other majors.

It was the second PP that used the word only, the first PP was just stating things that come with an English degree, nothing exclusive about it. It's the second PP that can't deal in nuance and added personal assumption (that when saying English degrees teach critical analysis, etc, they are somehow making an if and only if statement.) It shouldn't take an English degree to avoid that fallacy, but maybe it does.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:An English degree is even more important in the AI age. What most do not realize is that the major is not only about writing, but learning how to interact with others in different settings, critical analysis, understanding and interpreting the big picture, etc.

Imagine thinking English is the only major or even the best major for learning those things.

Certainly one of the better ones, at least for people who have more understanding and open mind than you.

So you attack someone who says English is not the only major or the best major for learning critical analysis etc. for being closed minded? You're not impressing me with your English major ability to interact with others, do critical analysis, or understand the big picture - and you're not demonstrating much open-mindedness to the skills developed in other majors.

I'm a STEM major, not an English major and I'm just stating the facts, ma'am.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:An English degree is even more important in the AI age. What most do not realize is that the major is not only about writing, but learning how to interact with others in different settings, critical analysis, understanding and interpreting the big picture, etc.

Imagine thinking English is the only major or even the best major for learning those things.

Certainly one of the better ones, at least for people who have more understanding and open mind than you.

So you attack someone who says English is not the only major or the best major for learning critical analysis etc. for being closed minded? You're not impressing me with your English major ability to interact with others, do critical analysis, or understand the big picture - and you're not demonstrating much open-mindedness to the skills developed in other majors.

I'm a STEM major, not an English major and I'm just stating the facts, ma'am.

They fell into your trap.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My father was huge in corporate finance in the 80s. His degrees were all in History.

My ex-boss dropped out of high school to become a shoe salesman before joining a normal company, rose up the ranks to become the COO. Let's all become shoe salesmen!

[Anonymous]

I need to schedule an appointment with a medical specialist. there are 100s listed on the insurance company website but no one seems to be available for at least 2 months! Can AI do figure this out for me? Call each office, determine availability and let me know who's available within the next 2-3 weeks?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I need to schedule an appointment with a medical specialist. there are 100s listed on the insurance company website but no one seems to be available for at least 2 months! Can AI do figure this out for me? Call each office, determine availability and let me know who's available within the next 2-3 weeks?

I hear you. I have same problem finding a doctor in NYC! The insurance list is almost always outdate. I'm not sure AI can help unless it has up to date information.

[Anonymous]

Have you read anything created with AI? It’s not great.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I need to schedule an appointment with a medical specialist. there are 100s listed on the insurance company website but no one seems to be available for at least 2 months! Can AI do figure this out for me? Call each office, determine availability and let me know who's available within the next 2-3 weeks?

I hear you. I have same problem finding a doctor in NYC! The insurance list is almost always outdate. I'm not sure AI can help unless it has up to date information.

A good AI system will actually make the calls, pose the question and get me a list.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Have you read anything created with AI? It’s not
great.

Yep, it’s a mansplaining generator.

Have you read the writing samples around here? They aren’t great. These people don’t read or write much, easy to impress.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My father was huge in corporate finance in the 80s. His degrees were all in History.

That was the 1980’s.

And I’m guessing he still had connections.