Offering a candid look at his early career choices, Sergey Brin recently shared how curiosity, not credentials, guided his decision to study computer science, while also addressing how artificial intelligence is changing views on higher education.
Speaking to students at Stanford University, Brin said the famous Stanford-to-Silicon-Valley path was not a calculated strategy for him. Instead, his choice was driven by genuine interest. “I chose computer science because I had a passion for it,” he told the gathering. “It was kind of a no-brainer for me. I guess you could say I was also lucky because I was also in such a transformative field.”
His comments come at a time when the rapid rise of AI is prompting students to question the value of traditional degrees, especially in computer science. With tools like Gemini and ChatGPT now capable of writing code, some fear automation could weaken career prospects in the field.
Brin pushed back against that thinking and warned against abandoning computer science due to automation anxiety. “I wouldn’t go off and switch to comparative literature because you think the AI is good at coding. The AI is probably even better at comparative literature, just to be perfectly honest anyway,” he said, drawing laughter from the audience.
While underscoring the value of learning, Brin also acknowledged that hiring practices at Google have evolved. The company is increasingly open to talent without formal degrees, focusing instead on demonstrated skills and self-driven learning.
“In as much as we’ve hired a lot of academic stars, we’ve hired tons of people who don’t have bachelor’s degrees,” Brin said. “They just figure things out on their own in some weird corner.”
This shift is supported by hiring data. A report cited by a business publication, drawing on figures from the Burning Glass Institute, showed that the share of Google job postings requiring a degree fell from 93% in 2017 to 77% in 2022.
Brin’s views echo those of other business leaders such as Jamie Dimon of JPMorgan and Alex Karp of Palantir, who have argued that high-paying roles should be based on proven skills rather than formal education alone.
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