Elon Musk’s latest take on education highlights a massive shift in 2026: the rise of the self-taught expert. Musk argues that modern universities serve more as "task-completion" proof for employers rather than hubs for real-world learning.
In the high-speed worlds of AI and Web3, this rings true. The most successful developers often learn from whitepapers and code repositories rather than outdated textbooks. With a smartphone and AI tools like Grok, specialized knowledge is now free for those with discipline. While a diploma still signals persistence, self-education is rapidly becoming the primary driver of innovation.