Ella Hafermalz, an associate professor of work and technology at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, argues that major AI companies such as OpenAI are positioning themselves to control the entire pathway from education to employment through initiatives like an upcoming ‘OpenAI Jobs Platform.’ She warns that students increasingly rely on AI tools like ChatGPT for both academic and personal guidance, sometimes doubting their own abilities without them, and argues universities must defend an independent role offering things AI cannot easily replicate: independence, contextual expertise, productive struggle, and social connection.