United States of AI Ethical Policy - Degrees of Purpose: Reimagining Higher Education for a Post-Work, AI-Shaped World

A Civic Brief from Future in Common

Part of the series: The United States of AI: An Ethical Policy Platform for American Workers

Suggested Price: Pay What You Can ($5+ recommended)

What This Brief Covers:

As AI transforms work and redefines the meaning of economic participation, we’re called to ask: What is higher education for?

This compelling civic brief explores how colleges and universities can adapt in an era where jobs may no longer be the sole reason for learning. It lays out a vision for a new purpose—where higher education becomes a hub for civic renewal, lifelong belonging, and human flourishing.

What You’ll Learn:

• Why AI is reshaping the value of traditional credentials and career paths
• How demographic, cultural, and technological shifts are redefining higher ed
• A hopeful framework for higher education rooted in purpose, not precarity
• Bold, people-centered recommendations for policymakers and institutions

Who It’s For:

• Students, educators, and administrators rethinking the future of learning
• Civic leaders shaping workforce and education policy
• Voters and funders considering the next era of public investment
• Anyone curious about the future of meaning, purpose, and knowledge in a post-work world

Why It Matters:

The goal of education has never been just to compete—it’s to contribute, to grow, and to belong. If we respond with intention, the AI transition could open the door to a new kind of learning society—one that centers care, creativity, and collective purpose.