ChatGPT: Ally or Obstacle for Recent Graduates?

The Impact of ChatGPT on Graduate Training

In the past, it was said that average grades were enough to earn a degree. Today, the AI tool ChatGPT seems to have taken over, enabling many students to graduate. This trend raises questions about the impact of this reliance on AI on students' preparation for their future professional careers.

Students who began their university studies with the advent of ChatGPT have often used this technology to facilitate their academic journey. For some, this has meant optimizing their learning, while for others, it has been perceived as a form of cheating. The question now arises as to whether this intensive use of AI has made them better-prepared candidates for the job market or if it has hindered their personal and professional development.

Employers' Concerns Regarding AI Usage

Amanda Hoover, a journalist for Business Insider, questions the implications of this reliance on AI among young graduates. Business leaders are particularly concerned about finding the right balance between using AI and acquiring valuable professional experience. While experienced employees can leverage AI while relying on their expertise accumulated over the years, newcomers risk excessively depending on these tools, creating blind spots in their learning and development.

Young graduates, although accustomed to AI, may find themselves struggling if they automate all their tasks without developing the critical skills necessary to advance in their careers.

Economic and Technological Challenges of AI

Another potential obstacle for these young professionals is the loss of access to the AI tools they have become dependent on. The reasons include high costs and computational capacity requirements. For example, Anthropic recently stirred controversy by raising the prices of its Claude Code tool. Although the company clarified that this was a limited experiment affecting 2% of new sign-ups, this initiative provoked reactions from influential figures like Sam Altman of OpenAI.

It is likely that Anthropic is not the only company considering new pricing models. With a user base reliant on the efficiency gains offered by these technologies and rising operational costs, price increases could become a common trend.

An Opportunity to Reassess Practices

Beyond economic considerations, the rise of AI agents has also pushed some companies to their limits in terms of computational power. However, this constraint could offer an unexpected opportunity: to step back from technology and reassess professional practices.

Sumeet Chabria, a former technology executive on Wall Street and current director of the consulting firm ThoughtLinks, shared a revealing experience. During a flight without Wi-Fi, he wrote a memo on cybersecurity without resorting to AI, simplifying a complex topic into ten concrete actions. The client particularly appreciated this direct and human approach.

Although Chabria is not opposed to AI, this example illustrates how human critical thinking can sometimes surpass the raw power of AI technologies. However, it is important to note that Chabria benefits from decades of experience, an advantage that new graduates do not yet possess. Perhaps ChatGPT could offer them some food for thought?