Vinod Khosla: College Degrees Are Becoming Useless | People by WTF | Episode 12

When I was starting out, this is the kind of conversation I wish I had access to. I sat down with Vinod Khosla, one of the sharpest minds in venture, and asked him the questions every young founder has on their mind.What industries will matter in 2035? Should you build for cities, small towns, or somewhere no one’s looking yet?Also listeners! Just a heads up that we recorded this episode on July 7, 2025, so some details might have changed since then.#NikhilKamath - Investor & EntrepreneurTwitter: https://x.com/nikhilkamathcioLinkedIn: / nikhilkamathcio Instagram: / nikhilkamathcio Facebook: / nikhilkamathcio #VinodKhosla - Co-founder, Sun Microsystems & Founder, Khosla VenturesTwitter: https://x.com/vkhoslaLinkedIN: / vinod-khosla-65387416  Timestamps:00:00 - Intro01:10 - Vinod’s Early Life & Tech Fascination04:43 - What Part of Vinod’s Education Shaped Him Most?06:17 - Why Certainty is Overrated09:46 - Investor Mindsets: Skeptic vs Contrarian13:36 - Identity, Purpose & Persistence19:47 - What Still Drives Vinod at 70?27:15 - Why Cities Need Fewer Cars30:20 - AI: Bad For Big Cities & Good For Small Towns?32:19 - Vinod’s Best Advice to Young Founders37:55 - Generalist or Specialist: What’s Better?43:03 - Post AI World: Free Education & Healthcare?48:40 - Will AI Make A Free Stanford Education Possible?55:03 - A Deflated Economy in an AI World1:00:53 - Why Strategic Entrepreneurs Win1:05:44 - Speculation vs Adaptation: What Helps You Win?1:08:25 - Will All Mobility Be Electric?1:10:09 - Why Passion Matters More Than People Think1:13:02 - Are We in an AI Bubble?1:16:48 - What Blockchain is Really Good At1:20:35 - Will India’s IT Sector Survive the AI Shift?1:21:51 - OutroWatch 'WTF is' Podcast on Spotifyhttps://tinyurl.com/4nsm4eznWatch 'People by WTF' Podcast on Spotifyhttps://tinyurl.com/yme92c59Watch 'WTF Online' on Spotifyhttps://tinyurl.com/4tjua4th#WTFiswithnikhilkamath #PeopleByWTF #WTFOnline