In a recent talk at his alma mater, Sergey Brin provided a personal perspective on the evolution of higher education and the tech industry. Reflecting on his own academic path, Brin remarked, "I chose computer science because I had a passion for it; it was kind of a no-brainer for me." He acknowledged his luck in entering such a "transformative field" at the right time but stressed that his journey was defined by curiosity rather than the pursuit of specific credentials.

The conversation addressed a growing concern among current students: whether AI models like Gemini and ChatGPT, which are increasingly capable of writing code, render a computer science degree obsolete. Brin countered this narrative, advising students not to flee the discipline out of automation fears. He humorously noted, "I wouldn't go off and switch to comparative literature because you think AI is good at coding... AI is probably even better at comparative literature anyway."

Key Highlights from the Discussion:

• Hiring Philosophy: Brin revealed that Google has significantly shifted its hiring practices. While the company still values "academic stars," it is increasingly looking for "self-taught stars" who can figure things out in "some weird corner" without traditional four-year degrees.

• The "Steve Jobs" Mistake: Brin also shared a candid lesson from the failure of Google Glass, admitting he tried to commercialize it too quickly. He warned aspiring entrepreneurs about the "danger of believing your own myth" and the importance of letting ideas "fully bake" before launch.

• Return to AI: Having stepped away from day-to-day operations in 2019, Brin confirmed he is back at Google "pretty much every day," working directly with engineers on the Gemini project because he finds this era of AI "far more exciting" than the birth of the web.

Brin's insights underscore a broader shift toward a skills-based economy, where passion and the ability to adapt to new technologies are becoming more critical than formal academic pedigrees.