Which Academic Fields Will Thrive in the Age of AI?

What Should You Study When Everything Is Changing?

Maybe you were told to study computer science. Or data science. Or “something with AI in it.”

Maybe you’re worried your chosen field will be irrelevant by the time you graduate.
Or maybe you’re just trying to choose a degree that won’t be eaten alive by ChatGPT, Midjourney, or whatever’s coming next.

In the age of AI, choosing what to study feels like betting on a horse in a race that keeps restarting.

But here’s the good news: not all fields are equally vulnerable, and some are more important than ever. The key isn’t just what you study. It’s how the field adapts, and what kind of human skills it helps you develop.

Let’s take a look at which academic disciplines are built to last, and why.

1. Computer Science and AI – Obviously. But Not the Whole Story.

Yes, demand is booming. Yes, AI engineering, machine learning, robotics, and cybersecurity are exploding. But this field is no longer for coders alone.

The future belongs to people who understand how these systems work, how they fail, how they learn, and how they should be regulated. And that opens the door for…

2. Law, Ethics, and Tech Governance – The New Power Centers

As AI reshapes everything from hiring to warfare, there’s a growing need for people who can think slowly in fast times. People trained to weigh consequences, create policy, and ensure AI serves society, not just profit.

If you're drawn to justice, complexity, and regulation, this field may be more influential than coding ever was.

3. Psychology, Neuroscience, and Cognitive Science (Because AI Is Imitating Us)

How do humans learn? Make decisions? Develop emotion? Break down?
AI is forcing us to re-examine what it means to be intelligent, conscious, or creative.

Researchers in these fields aren’t just studying the mind, they’re shaping the benchmarks for machine intelligence. And the demand for mental health professionals in an AI-accelerated, anxious world is higher than ever.

4. Philosophy, History, and the Humanities. Don’t Laugh. We’re Serious.

AI can mimic text. But it can’t understand meaning. Or context. Or ethics. Or beauty. It has no memory, no grief, no wonder.

That’s why we still need the people who study how we got here, what it means to be human, and where we might be going. The best humanities programs today are turning out thought leaders, not just academics.

5. Education – Because Someone Has to Teach Us How to Learn

The future of education is up for grabs. AI tutors, adaptive testing, personalized learning—all of it is changing what school even means.

But AI can’t replace the human relationship between teacher and student. Nor can it create the values, safety, and emotional scaffolding children need. Teachers who understand both child development and AI tools will be at the forefront of the next learning revolution.

6. Biomedical Science and Bioinformatics – Saving Lives With (and From) AI

AI is already diagnosing cancer, discovering drugs, and predicting genetic risks. But someone has to interpret the data, navigate the ethical questions, and integrate it into systems of care.

If you're drawn to medicine, biology, or health systems, this field offers a front-row seat to humanity’s most urgent challenges—and AI’s biggest promises.

7. Environmental Science and Sustainability (Because AI Doesn’t Breathe)

Climate change isn’t going away. And while AI can help us model scenarios and optimize resource use, it can’t act on its own.
The future will need people who understand ecosystems, policy, and the psychology of human behavior—and can lead change in a world that doesn’t have time to wait.

8. Design, Creativity, and Human Experience – Yes, Even Art

Will AI replace artists? Some. But not the ones who use it to amplify their vision.
Designers, filmmakers, writers, and UX experts who know how to collaborate with machines rather than compete with them will be in high demand—especially in industries where emotion, storytelling, and empathy matter.

In Short: Study What Makes You Human (and Then Use AI to Do It Better)

Here’s the bottom line: don’t choose your degree based on fear. Choose it based on curiosity, creativity, and the willingness to evolve.

The fields that will thrive in the age of AI aren’t the ones that ignore it or bow to it. They’re the ones that dance with it, combining deep knowledge, ethical thinking, and human imagination with powerful tools.

"It's difficult to say which academic fields will thrive at the era of AI," says Professor Yaniv Fox, Head of AI Initiatives and Vice Dean of Humanities. "I think a lot of the old borders between disciplines will weaken because of AI. It is easy for historians to write code, for mathematicians to do poetry, and for experts from disparate fields to cooperate. So, while I’m not sure the training process will look the same in 5 years, I have no doubt that academic inquiry will flourish".

If you want to build a future that works, don’t ask what AI can do. Ask what you can do—with it, beside it, and sometimes in spite of it.