Why Rajat Suri, Lyft co-founder, thinks his kids should skip college

Rajat Suri, Indian-origin co-founder of Lyft and Presto, has questioned the need for a college education in the AI era. Drawing from his Waterloo work-term experience, he said his children may not need college.

In Short

• Rajat Suri questions relevance of traditional college education in AI era
• He values work experience gained during college over classroom learning
• Calls for more practical work exposure as AI can teach academic concepts better

As artificial intelligence reshapes the way people learn and work, a debate over the relevance of traditional college education has resurfaced online. Rajat Suri, Indian-origin co-founder of Lyft and Presto, has questioned whether college remains the best route for young people to gain skills and workplace experience.

In a post on X, Suri said he is now considering whether his own children should attend college, despite having pursued higher education himself.

Suri wrote that he completed two bachelor’s degrees at the University of Waterloo before pursuing a PhD and MBA at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), although he later dropped out.

“Most of what I learned at school was at my work terms at Waterloo,” Suri said in his post.

He recalled working at six different companies during his time at Waterloo, saying the experience exposed him to different work cultures, management styles, team dynamics and business models.

He then questioned whether young people could gain similar experiences without traditional college coursework, particularly as AI becomes increasingly capable of teaching academic concepts.

“Wondering if we could just get that experience for kids without the unnecessary classwork that AI can teach better anyways?” he wrote.

FROM WATERLOO TO MIT AND STARTUPS

Suri's own education and career path has combined formal education with entrepreneurship.

According to his LinkedIn profile, he studied at the University of Waterloo from 2002 to 2007, earning dual bachelor’s degrees in Engineering and Economics.

He then joined MIT in 2007 for an MS, PhD and MBA programme. However, he left MIT before completing the programme. Suri said he dropped out after realising that he would learn more by founding startups.

FROM LYFT TO PRESTO AND LIMA

Suri's professional career has largely focused on entrepreneurship and technology.

He founded the Forum for Independent Thought in 2005 and later co-founded Lyft in April 2007. In 2008, he founded Presto, where he served as founder and CEO until March 2023.

He is currently listed as the co-founder and CEO of Lima, a position he has held since August 2023. He is also the co-founder and CEO of Tribe Chat, a role he has held since April 2024.

His career trajectory has therefore involved both formal education and extensive experience building companies.

A WIDER QUESTION ABOUT COLLEGE IN THE AI ERA

Suri's post raises a broader question about what students should gain from college as AI tools become increasingly capable of explaining academic concepts and assisting with learning.

His argument is not that young people should stop learning, but whether some of the traditional classroom components of higher education could be replaced by practical work experience.

For Suri, his own work terms at Waterloo were among the most valuable parts of his education, giving him exposure to workplaces, management and business models that classroom learning could not replicate.

His comments have consequently sparked a debate over whether the future of education should place greater emphasis on hands-on experience, while AI handles more of the conventional academic learning.

(Disclaimer: This story is based on a social media post. The details, including figures, background, and outcomes, have not been independently verified by India Today. The article is intended for informational purposes only, and readers are advised to exercise their own discretion before drawing conclusions or making decisions based on the content.)

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