Could the possibility of massive job losses due to AI as discussed in ChatGPT and the Future of Colleges have something to do with increased student striving and parental pushing?
If AI cuts 25% of jobs across industries and job categories (as discussed in the linked thread), that means that the bar of achievement, credentialing, or some other desired status to find a place in the labor market becomes significantly higher. Of course, of the remaining 75%, the bottom end of that is most vulnerable to future advances in AI, so it is best to be at the elite end of the labor class, at least until one is able to join the capitalist class.