AI era elevates humanities skills: A new respect for English majors

At the University of Colorado Boulder, there's a course co-taught by an applied mathematician and a Renaissance scholar.

"Students are really enjoying it," commented John-Michael Rivera, the school's dean of arts and humanities, about the class known as Inclusive Interdisciplinary Data Science for All.

The class provides STEM students a perspective on the ethics of AI, he noted. In other courses, humanities majors learn to assess how AI writes, its impact on writing practices, and the "self" concept in an AI-dominated world.

Rivera attributes the surge in interest in humanities degrees like English to courses that explore AI and humanities intersections. 

Before the pandemic, English majors at the university were declining, mirroring a national trend, he mentioned. 

This shift was quite different from the early 2000s when there were over 1,500 majors and waitlists, as per Rivera. But recently, the number of English majors has grown by 9% since 2021.

Rivera believes students are increasingly curious about the 'why' of things. "That's what we address in humanities," he said. "We truly delve into the 'why.'"

Often criticised as pointless, the value of the English degree has been questioned over the years. 

Who needs to write essays (or articles) with AI in the picture? Surprisingly, AI seems set to shake up computer science more than it will humanities—an interesting twist considering the assumed career reliability of these fields.

According to Bryan Ackermann, who leads AI strategy at Korn Ferry, companies are now prioritising soft skills, job accountability, identity, style, empathy—qualities that define humanity—in a tech-impacted world.

For English majors, this shift offers a sense of justification. As debates grow over which skills are essential in an AI world, some argue it's time for creativity, interpersonal skills, and critical thinkers to shine. 

Finally, after a period of being underestimated, English majors are gaining recognition for their contribution. 

Some universities report increased enrollment in the major, and there's greater demand for humanities skills in the job market. Consider this a renewal for English majors.