A recent poll has revealed that nearly half of American university students are considering changing their majors or fields of study due to the potential impact of artificial intelligence. The survey, conducted by Lumina and Gallup, indicates that AI is not only influencing how students study but is also determining the majors they choose. The poll found that 14% of currently enrolled students said they were thinking 'very seriously' about changing their major, while 33% said they were thinking 'to some extent' about switching their major or field of study because of the potential impact of AI on the job market or in specific sectors. This trend is higher among male students (60%) compared to female students (38%), and it is also higher among students in technology (70%) and professional fields (71%), compared to other majors such as business (54%), humanities (54%), and engineering (52%). The survey also showed that 16% of students have already changed their majors due to the potential impact of AI, a higher percentage among males (21%) compared to females (12%), and also among students in professional (26%) and technology (25%) fields. University graduates are entering a job market that has undergone significant transformations due to massive technological advancements, reshaping employment prospects, especially for entry-level workers.
'Artificial Intelligence and the Job Market'
Christine Ayyad, a senior at the American University studying business with a concentration in marketing, conducts an annual survey on student interaction with AI. Ayyad stated that her generation has no choice but to try AI tools. In 2024, 12% of students reported that potential employers asked them about their ability to use AI in the workplace, according to the survey conducted among undergraduate and graduate students at the Kogod School of Business at the American University. In 2025, that percentage rose to 30%. Despite students' readiness for post-graduation impacts, 42% of them say they are prohibited from using AI in their academic assignments at their universities, except in limited cases.
