The hollow critique of academia: Why business and tech need scholarship more than they admit

The anti-academic agenda

In recent years, a curious critique has emerged from the business and tech worlds, two realms that owe much of their success to the academic foundations they now dismiss. Leaders in these sectors have taken to labelling academia as outdated, irrelevant, and out of touch. The argument is as simple as it is convenient: academics supposedly spend too much time thinking and too little time doing, sitting in ivory towers concocting ideas that, in the “real world”, are impractical or obstructive. This dismissal may sound appealing, but it betrays a lack of understanding of what academia does—and why it matters.

Academia as the foundation of innovation

If these critics paused to examine the very tools and technologies they use, they’d find the imprint of academia in every line of code, every algorithm, every technological leap. The internet itself, the very infrastructure of today’s digital economy, started as an academic project. The principles of computing—the bedrock of the tech industry—were laid down by academics like Alan Turing and John von Neumann, whose groundbreaking work in computation and cryptography provided the scaffolding on which modern tech empires were built.

Artificial intelligence (AI), which fuels much of today’s tech innovation, was once purely theoretical. AI research began in academia, with early scholars establishing the foundational algorithms that companies now use for predictive analytics, personalised marketing, and even autonomous driving. Without this foundational work, AI would still be a pipe dream.

The idea that academia is out of touch with the real world ignores its role as the source of foundational knowledge. Rather than being obsolete, academia is the very underpinning of progress. Without these carefully constructed theories and research-backed methods, many of the “breakthroughs” in the business and tech world would simply not exist.

The Ivory Tower myth

A common criticism is that academics are “armchair theorists”, detached from the concerns of ordinary people. In this caricature, the professor is an aloof figure, happily dissecting society from a comfortable perch. But this stereotype is outdated, especially in a time when scholars are often at the front lines of critical issues.

Academics study problems that define our lives, from environmental sustainability to social inequality to systemic economic risk. They aren’t isolated; they’re engaged, relevant, and often take significant personal and professional risks to confront uncomfortable truths that industry would prefer to avoid. In a world increasingly guided by metrics and KPIs, academia reminds us to look at the human implications—an inconvenient but essential counterbalance.

Environmental scientists conducting climate research have faced political and corporate pushback for highlighting the urgency of global warming. But these warnings, rooted in careful academic study, have driven the movement for more sustainable practices across industries. Were it not for academic studies on climate change, the topic might have remained on the margins.

Practicality versus profit: Academia’s unique value

Another common argument is that academics produce little that is “useful” or marketable. If usefulness is measured purely by short-term market value, then, yes, fields like philosophy or history may appear irrelevant. But not everything of value can—or should—be turned into a product. These fields foster critical thinking, empathy, and cultural awareness—qualities that are fundamental to any society but cannot be captured on a profit-and-loss sheet.

Academia helps shape the way we think, not what we sell. This is why critical thinking, when done right, is the most valuable skill academia offers. Rather than memorising facts, students are encouraged to question assumptions, analyse sources, and draw connections—abilities that are foundational not only to academia but to every field that values insight over impulse.

Consider the case of data privacy. Before GDPR and other regulations, data privacy was considered a “niche” concern, mainly discussed by academics. Today, it’s a cornerstone of consumer rights, driven by rigorous academic research on ethical data use, privacy, and human rights. These principles have forced businesses to rethink how they handle consumer data, proving that academia’s value goes far beyond profit.

The need for caution and depth

The business and tech worlds are also quick to label academia as “too slow”. Companies argue that their industries demand speed and agility, that academia’s methodical pace is ill-suited to a world of rapid change. But this rush overlooks the value of caution and the dangers of unchecked momentum. Academics move slowly because they understand the complexity of their subjects and the potential for unforeseen consequences.

Picture social media, an industry where rapid change has outpaced ethical reflection. Platforms grew at breakneck speed, optimising for user engagement without fully understanding the societal consequences, from misinformation to mental health impacts. Academia’s role is to remind us of these risks, to slow the headlong rush toward progress and ask hard questions: “What are we creating? And at what cost?”.

Academia’s commitment to rigour and ethics is more than a quirk; it’s a safeguard. When academics take time to study potential impacts, they provide us with the insight that prevents thoughtless harm. The business and tech world’s rush to dismiss this caution as irrelevant reveals an unwillingness to grapple with the complex, long-term impacts of their innovations.

Critical thinking: A necessity, not a luxury

Academia’s slow, deliberate approach nurtures critical thinking—a skill that, when done right, is the bedrock of both personal and professional growth. In a world saturated with information, the ability to question, to think deeply, and to connect ideas is more valuable than any single innovation. Critical thinking isn’t just about getting answers; it’s about asking the right questions, an approach that makes leaders, not followers.

But critical thinking does not develop in environments focused on profit over understanding. Academia cultivates the ability to analyse, to find meaning, and to approach complex issues with nuance—traits that are becoming scarce in an economy increasingly driven by the need for quick wins and simple answers.

Today’s debates on AI ethics highlight the necessity of critical thinking. Academics have been the first to raise concerns about AI bias, surveillance, and the ethical boundaries of automation. Without their careful analysis, we would be left with a dangerously simplistic view of AI’s impact on society.

Academia and business: Different goals, mutual need

Ultimately, academia and the business world have different purposes. Business seeks to create value, often through products or services with clear profit potential. Academia seeks to understand, to analyse, to question, and to critique. Business operates quickly to capture markets; academia moves carefully to capture meaning. This difference doesn’t mean one is “out of touch”—it means each serves a unique role.

Business may provide immediate solutions, but academia offers a perspective that guides society through deeper, more lasting challenges. It’s a critical voice that reminds us to think before we act, to weigh the costs of change, and to build foundations, not just monuments.

The true cost of ignoring academia

When business leaders dismiss academics as irrelevant, they’re not rejecting irrelevance; they’re rejecting a critical safeguard. Academia’s pursuit of knowledge may lack the glamour of a product launch, but it provides something far more essential—a compass for a society increasingly willing to sacrifice depth for speed, wisdom for convenience.

In the end, it is not academia that’s out of touch—it’s this hollow critique from the business and tech world. Academics hold the line on what’s worth pursuing and what isn’t, not because they fear change but because they understand that true progress requires wisdom, memory, and an understanding of consequences.

In a world where speed and disruption are the new gods, academia stands as a reminder that some things are worth understanding deeply, that not all knowledge is marketable, and that the cost of ignorance is always higher than the cost of thought.