The Future Is Theirs: An AI CEO’s Five Lessons for the Class of 2025 on the Brink of Transformation

Like many other parents, this past weekend we celebrated our daughter’s university graduation. We are so proud of her and her accomplishments.

When I graduated in engineering many years ago, I didn't attend my own graduation ceremony. Back then, where I come from it just wasn’t a big deal. I just asked the university to mail me my certificate. If I were to do it again, I would do it differently. I would celebrate it like my daughter just did.

I didn't realize how important those four years were to me. I acquired key skills, made the best of friends, lived on my own and created a foundation for years to come. For the class of 2025, the four years you just spent will be more integral to your development than you may realize.

Here are five lessons I've gleaned in my career that maybe you can apply to your own. Congrats to you all!

1. Don’t look at the world for what it is - see it for what it can be: When I graduated, there was a narrative that after Y2K, the world would have less need for so many computer engineers and jobs would collapse. People believed we wouldn’t need so many engineers! They predicted the 'low hanging' paths to success like chemical or mechanical engineering had their biggest challenges already solved by our parents' generation. The job market looked challenging.... but this shows how little we all knew about the future. We often assume the current world is the best version possible and we try to fit new technologies into it. But the world can always be reimagined - new possibilities with new technologies - as has been done many times before. As Billy Joel says in Vienna, "You can get what you want or you can just get old."

2. Embrace the future of tech and AI: I grew up in a very small town in India and the first time I saw a computer was in college. I learned very quickly how technology can improve our lives. Today’s digital transformation with AI is bigger than anything before. Young people have unprecedented opportunity - to reimagine your jobs, improve productivity and unlock time for more creative, strategic pursuits. No longer can just 1% speak to computers and code - you can be a doctor who writes healthcare software, or an advertising executive who designs ad software. While it may be a disruption for some, for today's graduates, the ways of working with AI will be common sense.

3. Surround yourself with smart, talented and value-driven role models: It matters greatly who we spend time with. Don’t be shy about getting to know people you can learn from. A problem that might take you six months to solve, might actually just be a question away. As you contribute and earn their trust, they will look out for you across various steps of your journey.

4. Don't get too comfortable: The career-defining decisions we make often involve a level of risk. As you continue to grow, take bold chances. You can make mistakes and learn as you go - yet enjoy it. You will end up better for it.

5. Your career and your hobby may not be the same: There is a saying, "Take a job in what you love to do and you will never work a single day in your life." I think this is often too simplistic to be actionable for a young professional starting out. The Japanese philosophy of ikigai says it best: The intersection of what you love, what the world needs, what you are good at and what you can be paid for helps define your passion, your mission, your profession and your vocation. The key is to find the intersection between the four that works for you. A successful career means you can learn to be part of a team, learn to fail fast, and learn to win and lead.

What do you think? I would love to hear from parents and the graduates of today.