College students are changing course in search of ‘AI-proof’ majors. But no one knows what they are

College students are changing their majors to focus on skills that are less likely to be automated by artificial intelligence. Josephine Timperman, a 20-year-old student at Miami University in Ohio, switched from business analytics to marketing to develop critical thinking and interpersonal skills. About 70% of college students see AI as a threat to their job prospects, according to a 2025 poll. Students are seeking majors that teach 'human' skills, with those in technology and vocational areas feeling the need to develop expertise in AI while fearing being replaced by it. A recent Gallup poll found that students studying healthcare and natural sciences may be less impacted by AI. Experts, including advisers, professors, and parents, are unable to provide clear guidance, leaving students to navigate this challenge on their own. At a Stanford University panel discussion, Brown University President Christina Paxson noted that educators need to rethink what students need to learn to be successful in the job market in the future. The uncertainty surrounding AI's impact is driving students to make changes in their academic paths.