Is there still value in going to college in an era when artificial intelligence is rapidly transforming white-collar work? Yes, according to Yoshua Bengio, one of the leading pioneers of modern AI and a co-founder of deep learning. Speaking on Monday’s episode of the "Silicon Valley Girl" podcast, host Marina Mogilko asked Bengio whether he would encourage his four-year-old grandson to pursue a college education. His answer was a clear and emphatic "yes." Bengio, alongside Geoffrey Hinton and Yann LeCun, is widely regarded as one of the "godfathers of AI" for his foundational contributions to neural networks and deep learning. Yet he remains a strong advocate for higher education—not for its direct link to employment, but for its broader purpose. "Education is really important," he said, "and education, contrary to what some people think, isn't just about acquiring the skills to get a job." Instead, he believes education is fundamentally about becoming a better human being—about understanding oneself, society, and other people. "Education is mostly about how to become a better human being, how to understand yourself, how to understand our society and each other," he explained. His perspective comes amid growing debate over the future of college in an age of AI. As generative models and automation take on increasingly complex cognitive tasks, some experts argue that traditional degrees may lose their value. Hinton, another AI pioneer, has previously suggested that AI is already making it harder for college graduates to land jobs and even joked that becoming a plumber might be a smarter career move. Similarly, Stanford’s Fei-Fei Li, known as the "Godmother of AI," has stated that when hiring for her AI startup, a candidate’s academic degree matters less than their ability to use tools—including AI—effectively. Bengio’s stance echoes his earlier remarks on "The Diary of a CEO" podcast in December, where he told listeners his advice for his young grandson is to focus on becoming a "beautiful human being." He emphasized that while machines may eventually perform most jobs, the qualities that define humanity—empathy, ethics, self-awareness, and connection—will endure. That, he believes, is what education should nurture.