Degrees of Uncertainty: A Granddaughter, A Generation, and the Age of AI
Carenna Katague Thompson- My Youngest Grand Daughter, B.S. Graduation, GWU 💚Summa Cum Laude, May 2026.
I will be attending her Graduation In Washington DC in two weeks. A super proud Lolo ( Grand Pa), indeed.
Carenna, my youngest granddaughter will walk across the stage, diploma in hand, marking the end of one chapter and the uncertain beginning of another in two weeks. It is a proud moment for our family, one of those milestones that reminds you how quickly time moves and how each generation must find its own footing in a world that never stands still.
But unlike many graduates of the past, she steps into a labor market shaped not just by economic cycles, but by something far more unpredictable: artificial intelligence.
So far, she has no job prospects. And rather than rush into a workforce that feels unclear and unsettled, she has made a thoughtful decision, to continue her education, pursue a master’s degree, and ultimately aim for a Ph.D. Her goal is simple and admirable: she wants to teach at a college or university.
In another era, this path would feel straightforward. Today, it feels like both a commitment and a question mark.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/carennakt2025/
When Evidence Lags Behind Reality
We are told that AI’s impact on jobs is still largely theoretical, debated in economics papers, modeled in forecasts, and argued over in academic circles. The hard evidence, they say, is still catching up.
But young people like my granddaughter are not living in theory. They are making real decisions now-about careers, education, and their futures, without the luxury of waiting for certainty.
Some of her peers are turning toward blue-collar trades, seeking stability in work that remains grounded in the physical world. Others are embracing AI, learning to code, to prompt, to adapt, hoping to ride the wave rather than be swept aside.
And then there are those like her choosing to go deeper into academia, into knowledge itself, believing that teaching, critical thinking, and human understanding will always have a place in society. It is a quiet act of faith.
The Changing Value of a Lifetime of Learning
When I think back to my own journey, from my years at the FDA to my life as a writer and observer of the world education was always seen as a foundation. You built upon it, but it was not something you had to constantly defend.
Today, that foundation feels less solid.
AI is beginning to challenge not only how we work, but how we learn and even what it means to be an expert. When information is instantly accessible, when machines can generate essays, analyze data, and even simulate reasoning, what becomes of the traditional role of a teacher?
It is a fair question. But perhaps the answer lies not in what AI can do, but in what it cannot fully replace: mentorship, lived experience, ethical judgment, and the human connection that turns information into understanding.
A good teacher does not simply transfer knowledge. They shape minds. They challenge assumptions. They inspire curiosity.
No algorithm, at least for now, can replicate that fully.
The Illusion of “Safe” Choices
There is a growing belief among young people that certain career paths might offer protection from AI-whether in the trades, entrepreneurship, or academia.
I am not entirely convinced. If there is one lesson history has taught us, it is that no field remains untouched by technological change. The timeline may differ, the impact may vary, but the direction is consistent.
Even academia is not immune. AI is already influencing how students learn, how research is conducted, and how knowledge is shared.
So perhaps the goal should not be to find a “safe” path, but to become adaptable within whatever path one chooses.
If my granddaughter becomes a professor someday, her success may depend not just on what she teaches, but on how she integrates new tools, challenges new realities, and prepares her students for a world that continues to evolve.
A Grandfather’s Reflection
As I watch her prepare for graduation, I am reminded that every generation faces its own version of uncertainty.
Mine had its own turning points-moments when the future felt unclear, when decisions had to be made without complete information. And yet, somehow, we moved forward. We adapted. We found our way.
Her journey will be different. Perhaps more complex. Certainly more intertwined with technology than anything I experienced.
But the core questions remain the same: What kind of life do you want to build?
What kind of impact do you want to have? And how will you adapt when the world inevitably changes?
Hope in the Midst of Uncertainty
There is something deeply reassuring about her choice. In a time when machines are becoming more capable, she is choosing a path centered on human growth, learning, and connection. She is choosing to teach, to contribute to the development of others.
That, to me, is not a retreat from the future. It is an investment in it.
Because no matter how advanced AI becomes, society will always need people who can guide, interpret, question, and inspire.
Final Thoughts
AI may reshape the workplace. It may redefine careers. It may even challenge long-held assumptions about education and expertise. But it does not eliminate the need for purpose.
As my granddaughter takes her next steps into graduate school, into deeper study, into an uncertain but promising future, I find myself not worried, but reflective.
The path ahead may not be clear. But then again, it never really was. And perhaps that is the most important lesson of all. Uncertainty is not something to fear.
It is something to navigate. And if history is any guide, she and her generation will find their way, just as we once did.
Carenna Education:
💚The George Washington University
Bachelor of Science - BS, Double Major: Geography and International Affairs: Conflict Resolution, minor in GIS
Sep 2022 – May 2026
Grade: Senior
Activities and societies: Dean’s Scholars, Dean’s List, The Eta Society for Global Affairs, Camp Kesem
Skills: Quantum GIS, ArcGIS Products
