Is College Still Worth It? How AI, Reading Habits, and Gen Z Are Rewriting Education and Work

Is college still worth the cost? In this episode of Tales of Abundance, Dr. John Oberg and Randy Lorensen explore the shifting value of higher education, the rise of AI in classrooms and careers, and the changing ways young people learn. They’re joined by three students—from high school to college—who share how they’re using AI to study smarter, navigate busy lives, and prepare for a rapidly evolving job market. The conversation also dives into new research on declining reading habits, AI’s impact on professional roles, and what the future of learning might look like.

From professors debating AI in the classroom to students using ChatGPT as a digital tutor, this episode offers a multigenerational look at how education, technology, and opportunity are being redefined in real time.

Keywords: college worth it, AI in education, ChatGPT in school, students using AI, future of work, Gen Z, higher education trends, Pew Research, reading habits, automation, job market, Dr. John Oberg, Tales of Abundance podcast