Columbia University announced on Tuesday that it is laying off nearly 180 employees after US President Donald Trump canceled $400 million in federal funding. The decision, which affects a wide range of research programs at the Ivy League institution, comes in response to the university’s handling of student protests related to the war in Gaza.The layoffs represent about 20% of staff supported by the now-terminated federal grants. Columbia said it had to make “deliberate, considered decisions” about financial resource allocation, according to a statement released on May 7, as reported by the Associated Press.Funding canceled over handling of campus protestsThe Trump administration withdrew the funding in March, citing Columbia’s failure to adequately respond to antisemitic incidents during pro-Palestinian demonstrations on campus. These protests, which began in October 2023 and escalated in April, included an encampment and the occupation of a university building, leading to multiple arrests. Columbia became a central site in a nationwide wave of student-led activism over the Israel-Hamas war.According to the Associated Press, university officials said the affected positions are directly tied to the canceled grants. The work being scaled back includes projects on antiviral nasal sprays for infectious diseases, research on maternal mortality and morbidity, treatments for chronic illnesses like long Covid, newborn care for opioid withdrawal, and colorectal cancer screenings.Cuts have major impact on research and staffingJessica Murphy, a spokesperson for Columbia, declined to confirm if more layoffs would follow but noted the university is taking broader steps to manage its finances. These include maintaining current salary levels and offering voluntary retirement incentives, as reported by the Associated Press.Faculty members expressed deep concern about the consequences of the funding cut. Marcel Agueros, an astronomy professor and secretary of Columbia’s chapter of the American Association of University Professors, called the layoffs “dispiriting” and said that research efforts have already been severely disrupted. “When there’s an interruption in funding, people have to leave, new people can’t be hired, some initiatives have to be put on hold, others need to be stopped,” he said, as quoted by the Associated Press.Trump administration demands institutional changesFollowing the funding cutoff, Columbia agreed to a series of conditions set by the Republican administration to regain support. These included revising student disciplinary procedures, banning masks at protests, restricting demonstrations in academic spaces, adopting a new definition of antisemitism, and placing the Middle Eastern studies program under the oversight of a vice provost.US Education Secretary Linda McMahon acknowledged that Columbia was “on the right track” but, as reported by the Associated Press, declined to say when or if the funding would be restored. The Education Department has not issued further public comments on the matter.

Amid growing uncertainty over immigration policy enforcement, universities across the US are warning international students against nonessential travel. The advisory comes after at least 4,736 international students had their visa records terminated, creating widespread concern within academic institutions and student communities.According to an April 10, 2025 response from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to Congress, these terminations were logged in a government database that tracks international student legal status.The situation intensified after 1,220 students across 187 colleges, universities, and university systems had their legal status revoked or visas canceled since late March, as reported by the LA Times.Students reconsider travel amid growing visa fearsThe Trump administration’s intensified crackdown has led international students to cancel trips, including vacations, family visits, and academic travel. One PhD student at UC San Diego, who chose to remain anonymous, told the LA Times, “I probably am going to skip that to … have as few interactions with governments as possible.” Even domestic travel to destinations like Hawaii has been deemed too risky.Colleges had already begun advising caution. UC Berkeley issued a notice warning that upcoming international travel carried “strict vetting and enforcement” risks, according to the LA Times. The advisory followed concerns over deportations linked to pro-Palestinian activism, with several students suddenly losing legal status without clear explanation.California campuses and others report rising terminationsCalifornia institutions have been hit particularly hard. As of late April, over 120 students in the state had lost legal status, including at least 20 at UCLA and several across University of California and California State University campuses, as reported by the LA Times. Still, the LA Times notes that the number of affected students may be significantly higher nationwide.The fast-moving developments have left schools and immigration advisors scrambling. A Michigan college employee working with international students, who spoke anonymously, said they are fielding more travel-related questions than ever. The employee admitted to the LA Times that they often lack clear answers due to evolving federal guidelines.New guidance expands reasons for visa revocationPreviously, students could remain in the US even if their visa was revoked, as long as they did not leave the country. However, under the new rules, visa revocation alone is now grounds for losing legal status, increasing the risk of deportation for students who travel abroad. The LA Times reports that after some federal judges raised due process concerns, the government reversed certain terminations—only to later introduce broader justifications for revocation.Legal uncertainty adds to stress for students and advisorsMany students, some with only minor infractions, are unsure why their status was removed. Some have gone into hiding or left the country voluntarily, according to the LA Times. Rishi Oza, an immigration lawyer in North Carolina, told the LA Times his office now receives daily calls from international students worried about leaving and reentering the country.“You kind of shake your head and say, ‘Is this the character of the country we want?'” said Oza. He emphasized the unpredictability of reentry, warning students to carry all relevant documents—immigration records, school transcripts, even court documents for dismissed charges.One student from the University of Illinois expressed panic about returning to the US after buying a ticket home to Asia. “Right now,” the student told the LA Times, “I’m afraid I might not be able to come back.”

Talent, not tenure, is the most precious currency in India’s technology ecosystem. As artificial intelligence knits the very fabric of work, those fluent in language are no longer just professionals in cubicles—they are the frontrunners in a race that will determine who leads and who gets left behind. While every new invention in the domain fans the flames about whether AI will substitute jobs or leverage employees, the truth is: It is here to stay.Those who learn to adapt to the guest will survive; those who shrug off its presence under the carpet will suffer. Not only are AI jobs expected to boom in the coming years, but AI specialists are also expected to secure hefty salary packages.Artificial intelligence has penetrated almost every sphere of human existence—finance, healthcare, retail, logistics. AI skills are creating a rippling effect in the job market. Salaries are doubling, hierarchies are flattening, and the old rules of career progression are being rewritten with breathtaking speed.

Emergence of skill capitalism

It is not just a buzzword, it is opening doors to skill capitalism- a system where compensation is directly intertwined with cognitive depth in machine learning, data modelling, and algorithmic reasoning. In this system, artificial intelligence is the great leveller and the great accelerator.Yes, AI literacy is ubiquitous- but mastery is rare. And companies are not rewarding familiarity – they are paying a premium for those who can architect, train, and refine AI systems from the ground up. For those professionals, a 100% salary hike has become the new benchmark, not the exception.India is projected to generate 2 million AI-related job openings over the next two years according to a Bain and Company report. But even in this abundance, one element remains scarce—specialized talent. Foundational AI engineers, mathematicians, physicists, and domain-savvy coders are in dangerously short supply.

From Python to power moves

While Python and AI tools are now well-learned skills among graduates. The market doesn’t need prompt engineers. It needs system architects. AI familiarity is no longer a value proposition. Companies now seek: Experts in noise analysis

In short, AI has become interdisciplinary warfare, and generalists are losing ground.As Bruce Keith, Co-founder, InvestorAi, stated that “Every graduate we meet is AI literate in terms of prompts and general use of AI tools. Add to this that Python is easy to learn, and then barriers to entry are low. If you are looking for someone to train models, set guidelines, and provide monitoring, then there are a good number of candidates. I think the issue is that firms are hiring a bunch of smart kids and expecting them to bring AI to the organisation without a proper plan – I see this across the finance sector.”

Mid-level mayhem

The scarcity is most acute in the mid-level range. These are professionals expected to design and scale foundational models—yet this tech is so new that “five years of experience” is often a myth.Recruiters are waiting six months or more to onboard viable candidates. During negotiation, 100% salary jumps are not just tolerated—they’re often the opening bid.Entry-level candidates are seeing offers of ₹10–15 LPA—half of European standards, but still substantially above traditional Indian benchmarks. But the real prize lies in mid and senior roles, where compensation can cross into 300% premium territory for domain-specialist engineers.

The agentic AI paradox

As agentic AI—the new wave of intelligent, autonomous systems—becomes more capable, a paradox unfolds. These very systems may eventually replace the roles companies are desperately hiring for today.The World Economic Forum (WEF) Future of Jobs 2025 report warns that up to 87% of AI-related roles could face substitution. But that isn’t a death knell—it’s a clarion call to evolve.Keith mentioned, “As agentic AI increases in adoption, there will be more capacity in the system and less need for new engineers – make sure you take the opportunities to go deep in terms of tech or domain.”

Blueprint for doubling your worth

So, how do you secure the 100% salary hike that’s suddenly within reach?

This is no longer a story of linear growth. It is a story of intellectual compounding. AI is not just a tool—it is a career catalyst. But only for those who understand that the future of work will belong to those who can build the future itself.To double your salary, you don’t need to chase AI.You need to become indispensable to it.