As a graduate student, this piece made me sad. I always believed that my work speaks for itself and transcends beyond my limited time on this cosmic experience. This notion of immortality was just a small intangible bonus I hoped for when I jumped into grad school. AI is making me feel less worthy.

As someone who is much further down the track, I would kindly suggest you drop that line of thought. I've seen far too many brilliant and ambitious people drop into depression because of it.

You are worthy of doing this work because you are able to do it. Do the work because you love it and because you love the mystery. Enjoy every moment that you get to do it. Find joy in the great fortune you have to do this work while others toil away on tasks that bring them no satisfaction. Sometimes it's tedious, but sometimes it's incredibly rewarding in its own right.

Don't work for the possibility of eternal glory though, it just doesn't exist anymore.

I feel bravery transcends time better than the odd scientific breakthrough which are often attributed to one, but whose roots came from a "lesser" unknown

You are worthy. You will hone your skills in grad school and be able to command these AIs better than somebody who hasn’t struggled with hard problems for a long time.