No degree is AI‑proof. But delaying specialisation may offer students an edge - Patrick Dodd and Hanoku Bathula

PremiumOpinionOpinion byPatrick Dodd and Hanoku BethulaNZ Herald·10 Aug, 2026 06:00 AM5 mins to readPatrick Dodd is a Professional Teaching Fellow of the Business School at the University of Auckland in Waipapa Taumata Rau, and Hanoku Bathula is a Professional Teaching Fellow in Management and International Business at the University of Auckland in Waipapa Taumata RauThe proposed 'T-shaped' graduate combines depth with cross-disciplinary breadth. Photo / 123rfChoosing a university degree has never been straightforward. Students and parents have always asked which courses and majors offer the best returns and lead to secure careers.

But now the age of generative artificial intelligence, bringing powerful new tools such as ChatGPT and Claude, has made those decisions much more