As with everything, it depends. It depends on which school you went to, taught by which professor(s), and that had access to insiders within the broader academi

As with everything, it depends. It depends on which school you went to, taught by which professor(s), and that had access to insiders within the broader academia landscape you are in. If you got an ML degree from University of Alabama, You have a vastly different experience than someone who got theirs from Harvard or MIT. It has its place, as with all things, but how many of the AI/ML grads with go work at Google or OpenAI? Not many. A degree does not guarantee you success, but in some cases, it is a barrier to entry (Physicians).