Anthropic Cofounder Majored in English Lit in College. Here's Why He Says His Degree 'Turned Out to Be Extremely Relevant.'

"What turned out to be useful is that I got to learn a lot about history and a lot about the kind of stories that we tell ourselves about the future. That's turned out to be extremely relevant for AI in a way that I think people wouldn't have predicted."

"The best majors to study are the ones that involve synthesis across a whole variety of subjects and require analytical thinking. The most important skills to learn are knowing the right questions to ask and bringing together insights across disciplines."

"When was the last time you heard that a philosophy degree was a great job prospect? Even majors that seem out of place in the age of AI can still prove valuable."

"I would not major in rote programming in college, because AI can handle that task. Software engineering would cease to exist as a field."

Jack Clark, cofounder of Anthropic, believes that his English Literature degree is highly relevant in the AI field. He learned about history and narratives that shape our future, which he finds crucial for AI development. Clark advocates for majors that promote synthesis across various subjects and analytical thinking. He points out that even seemingly unrelated degrees, like philosophy, can be valuable in AI. However, he advises against pursuing rote programming, as AI can perform those tasks effectively.

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