How is AI Affecting College Major and Course Choices? Evidence from Finland

Author: Ciprian Domnisoru (Aalto University-Helsinki GSE) • Tuomas P. Heikkinen (University of Helsinki)
Posted: 2 November 2026

Abstract

Have concerns about the potential job displacement effects of artificial intelligence affected the education choices of students? We analyze administrative data on the university applications and course choices of Finnish students. We find, after the launch of ChatGPT 3.5 in November 2022, a persistent drop in applications to fields of study classified as more exposed to AI under several different measures. The drop is particularly large in computer science and other ICT fields. Examining the elective course choices of non-ICT students, we find declining enrollment in programming and algorithms courses, particularly among students who had not taken mathematics as part of their high school exit exam. At the same time, non-ICT students enrolled more in AI/ML courses, and this increase was relatively larger among men.
JEL codes: I21, J24, J64, O33
Keywords: Artificial Intelligence, College Major Choice, Higher Education, Unemployment