Is AI affecting what people choose to study?
College applications are shifting. Since ChatGPT launched, enrollments in AI-exposed fields have surged while traditional programs stall.
Why it matters
AI is reshaping career perception and education choices in real time — practitioners need to understand which skill categories students are rushing toward, and employers need to know what talent pipeline looks like in 18-24 months.
The key facts
7 to knowApplications for AI-exposed degree programs rising since ChatGPT launch (Nov 2022)
Shift suggests students are self-sorting into roles they perceive as AI-resistant or AI-augmented
Enrollment changes indicate labor-market signaling is already at work — before widespread corporate AI deployment data exists
Source: Financial Times analysis of application trends
Applications for degrees linked to AI-exposed jobs have risen since ChatGPT's launch in Nov 2022
Educational demand shift reveals student perception of AI displacement risk
Signal of proactive workforce adaptation to AI-driven labor market changes
Go to the source
Financial Times Technologyft.com
Publisher excerpt: Since ChatGPT’s launch, applications have risen for degrees linked to jobs with the greatest exposure to AI