Salience of GenAI and student demand for college majors: Evidence from U.S. degree completions

This study examines how the rising salience of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI), particularly the diffusion of large language model tools such as ChatGPT, is associated with changes in student demand for majors in U.S. higher education. Using data from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) for 2020–2024, with 2022 as the pre/post base year, we link 1,140 academic majors to a GenAI Exposure index that captures the fraction of occupational tasks performable by large language models and compare trends before and after 2022. Majors with higher GenAI Exposure exhibit significantly larger degree completions after 2022, while pre-2022 completion trends are parallel across exposure groups. This supports a complementarity interpretation: students view GenAI as an opportunity rather than a threat. Business schools should respond by expanding analytics, data science, and AI-integrated programs.