You don’t need a PhD to build a successful career in artificial intelligence, says Devi Parikh, the former Meta executive who worked on Mark Zuckerberg’s AI team. In a recent interview with Business Insider, she said that while advanced degrees once shaped AI careers, they’re no longer the only or even the best path forward. What matters more today is real-world skills, adaptability, and hands-on experience. We have summarised everything that she said during the interview below.
Who is Devi Parikh?
Devi Parikh brings over 15 years of experience across research, academia, and major tech firms. Earlier in her career, she was deeply involved in academia and research labs. But later, she joined Meta’s FAIR lab in 2016. Over time, she rose to senior director, leading impactful projects in generative AI including text-to-video tools, multimodal models, and creative AI systems. Today, she co-leads an AI startup focused on blending human creativity with machine intelligence.
Is real world experience important than PhD?
According to Devi Parikh, becoming proficient in AI doesn’t require a doctorate. What helps is working on actual projects whether at startups, big tech labs, or as open-source contributors and learning by doing. She emphasized that companies hiring now often care more about a person’s skills, problem-solving ability and real output rather than formal degrees.
Staying Flexible as AI Evolves!
The AI field keeps changing fast. Parikh said researchers and professionals should be ready to evolve as well. For example, she herself began with computer-vision research, then moved into multimodal AI, and later embraced generative models as tech advanced. She says holding on too rigidly to past identities or methods can hold you back.
Follow Your Curiosity!
Devi Parikh urged aspiring AI professionals to choose projects that genuinely interest them, rather than chasing credentials or prestige alone. Some of her most rewarding career moves including leaving a senior role at Meta to start a fresh venture were driven by curiosity rather than job stability. She also believes in the power of seeing a project through. During the pandemic, she launched a YouTube series featuring conversations with researchers a project that helped boost her visibility and underline the value of completing what you begin.
Conclusion
According to Devi Parikh If you’re eager to work in AI, don’t be discouraged if you don’t have a PhD. What counts more is your willingness to learn, build things hands-on, adapt as the field evolves and above all, follow your genuine interest with persistence.
