American venture capitalist Vinod Khosla says college degrees are dead as AI tutors could replace elite institutions

American venture capitalist Vinod Khosla, appearing on Nikhil Kamath’s podcast, declared that traditional four-year college degrees are fast becoming obsolete, arguing that AI tutors can soon outclass even elite human educators.

He said AI-driven learning platforms are poised to serve every child in India with better, personalized instruction than the best private school tutors today.

Khosla added that this shift could upend degrees and gatekeeping institutions, making high-quality education universally accessible rather than just the domain of the wealthy.

Khosla pointed to the ed‑tech platform CK‑12, founded by his wife, as an example of how scalable AI tutoring models could work. He said students would no longer need to spend years in formal college to switch fields.

“You don’t have to go back to college for three or five years to switch from electrical engineering to mechanical engineering —or from medicine to something else,” he remarked.

The conversation expanded beyond education. Khosla predicted that professions such as law, healthcare, and financial advisory would be reshaped by AI.

“Imagine every lawyer was free. Every judge was free,” he said, suggesting that AI legal systems could relieve India’s overburdened courts and make justice accessible to the poor.

In finance, he said even someone earning ₹5,000 a month could receive the best wealth advice via AI algorithms, and higher earners would not necessarily benefit more.

Khosla’s views echo earlier comments by Nikhil Kamath, co‑founder of Zerodha, who had warned in June that conventional college courses are increasingly outmoded.

Kamath highlighted the World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report 2025, which forecasts the elimination of 92 million jobs by 2030 and the emergence of 170 million new roles — making adaptability and continuous learning essential.

Observers say Khosla’s remarks reflect a broader trend among technocrats and investors who see AI not only as a learning tool but also as a democratizing force.

AI‑powered education and advisory services could reduce social inequality by bridging access gaps.