We interviewed Anthropic's Daniela Amodei and other top executives in the artificial intelligence sector to discuss how they advise their children on education and career paths in a world increasingly shaped by AI.
When Daniela Amodei meets with potential clients and business partners, they often conclude their discussions with an anxious question: "What should my child study in college?" As a co-founder of the AI company Anthropic, she is at the forefront, witnessing how models like Claude are reshaping work and the economy—a topic that causes anxiety for parents everywhere.
We asked Amodei and four other leaders in AI to share their perspectives on their own children's futures and the guidance they provide. Their children range in age from 6 months to 26 years—a vast span in the context of the AI era. Yet these parents share a common outlook: they are concerned but not panicked, and their children feel the same.
Below are edited excerpts from these conversations.
Manny Medina Co-founder of Paid.AI (helps businesses monetize work completed by AI agents) Four children: ages 4, 9, 19, and 26
"What I most want to ensure is that they don't see AI as a threat." Most children listen to their parents, but they don't always act immediately. The goal is to plant seeds, provide water, and avoid being overbearing. It's a bit like Jedi mind tricks.
I believe two fields will be particularly promising in the medium term: energy and healthcare. Beyond solar power, the most powerful energy source is nuclear. I consistently tell my children they should seriously consider entering the nuclear energy field. My eldest son recently started working at TerraPower, a nuclear innovation company founded by Bill Gates. It took him a few years, but he eventually took my advice.
Another area with lasting demand will be healthcare, especially fields related to cancer. My 19-year-old has decided to study nuclear medicine—using radioactive isotopes to treat cancer. It's highly dangerous but extremely effective.
With my younger children, I have more room to observe future trends, but also more anxiety because the horizon is less clear. My main goal is to ensure they view AI not as a threat, but as a tool for accomplishing remarkable things.
Given the uneven global development of AI, many people will be left behind. Helping the poor, the vulnerable, and the sick will be a meaningful path. Environmental issues—caring for animals, humanity, and the oceans—are also critical. My 9-year-old is passionate about animals and dreams of solving problems like ocean pollution. These challenges are not going away.
The basic principles for choosing a career are simple: pursue what you enjoy, what you're good at, and what is useful to others. Earning money is a bonus, but the first three are essential.
Carolin Hanke Head of Global Organizational Growth and Health at SAP, leading internal AI workforce transformation One child: age 15
"Resilience and an open mind... these are the core abilities I most hope my child develops." My son plays soccer and aspires to be a professional athlete. I asked him if that's a sustainable path. He argued that professional soccer will never become obsolete because no one wants to watch AI robots play. He was trying to convince me.
I genuinely believe that resilience, openness to change, and the ability to adapt quickly are the core capabilities I most want my child to possess. Technical skills that are valuable today may be irrelevant in two years. What will truly matter are soft skills: critical thinking, adaptability, and ethics—areas requiring human judgment.
I even wonder if communication skills will remain as crucial in the future, since AI may excel in that domain.
As for college studies, I hope he chooses a broad-based education. He will make his own decision, but if I were to choose, I would lean toward mathematics because logical thinking is essential in any AI-era job.
Ethan Mollick Management professor at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania Author of "Co-Intelligence: Living and Working with AI" Two children: ages 16 and 19
"In the AI era, careers that combine multiple skills and generalist abilities are promising." Our family often discusses AI, but like all parents and children, mine aren't as concerned as my wife and I are.
My children are interested in broad fields like law and medicine, so I'm not overly worried. I believe that in the AI era, careers requiring a mix of skills and generalist capabilities are advantageous. You may excel in some areas and struggle in others. For example, being a doctor involves more than diagnosis; it includes many other tasks. If AI can assist in areas where you're less strong, that's beneficial.
Regarding "AI-proof" jobs: if your child wants to be a barber or plumber, that's great. But when the future is unclear, how can anyone be sure they're making the right choice?
A safer approach is to pursue a broad and deep education, remain flexible in the face of change, and even save money for uncertain times—advice that applies in any era of uncertainty. A liberal arts education is more important than ever.
I don't know what the future holds. I'm not pessimistic, but I understand why others might be. I can't blindly assume nothing bad will happen. Yet careers are long and dynamic, and humans are remarkably adaptable.
Jaime Teevan Chief Scientist at Microsoft, Technical Fellow, and Yale University board member Four children: ages 17, 19 (twins), and 21
"Traditional liberal arts education remains critically important." I have four sons, including identical twins. I joke that I'm running an A/B test on them, but I don't actually give them different advice.
I often encourage them to pursue activities that require long-term commitment. We adults tend to be highly anxious about AI, and when we worry about our children, we're often projecting our own fears.
Children won't have to unlearn old paradigms; they're starting from scratch. That's their advantage. I tell my kids: play, experiment, and explore.
People need to know how to use AI models, not necessarily how to build them. Metacognitive skills will be vital: flexibility, adaptability, experimental mindset, critical thinking, and the courage to question assumptions. Developing critical thinking requires engaging with challenging tasks and deep reflection.
That's why a traditional liberal arts education is so important. This holds true both in times of macro-level disruption and at a micro level. Consider what AI does: past interactions with computers were deterministic—press a button, get a result. Now, it's about natural language, context, expressing intent, and critical thinking.
AI excels at generating suggestions and offering opinions, but it cannot take responsibility. That remains a human role. One of my children is interested in accounting; another plans to attend law school. These are fundamentally responsibility-driven professions. In law, AI may simplify many tasks, but judgment and accountability for decisions affecting people and society are irreplaceable.
Daniela Amodei President and Co-founder of Anthropic Two children: ages 4 and 6 months
"What won't be replaced is how you treat people, how you communicate, and how kind you are." When I consider what my children will need as they grow, I think about human qualities: the ability to connect with others, empathy, and the capacity to build relationships.
What won't be replaced is how you treat people, how you communicate, and how kind you are. As AI becomes more dominant in the workplace, these traits will grow in importance.
I am fundamentally hopeful: humans ultimately prefer spending time with other humans. Without that, we tend to become unhappy.
So, if I were to offer advice—though it might sound unusual for future teenagers—I would encourage my children to engage socially and understand how they uniquely relate to others.
There are two schools of thought on human creativity: one argues that AI will surpass us in everything, making human effort irrelevant and the world bleak. But I'm an optimist belonging to the other camp: humans have an innate desire to create meaning and build things simply for the joy of creation.
Human resilience and adaptability are extraordinary. Our yearning to create and connect within communities will not disappear.
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