From Computer Science to AI Major: The Truth Behind Students' "Career Shift"

1. "Move Over, Computer Science?" — The Anxiety Symbolized by the Headline

On December 1, The New York Times reported on the changes on American university campuses with a provocative headline: "Move Over, Computer Science. Students Are Flocking to New A.I. Majors."

The article highlighted phenomena that symbolize the educational atmosphere of recent years: the "departure from CS" and the "AI major boom." It was reported that at MIT, the "Artificial Intelligence and Decision Making" major has become the second most popular undergraduate major after computer science.MIT News

Furthermore, at the University of South Florida, more than 3,000 students registered this fall alone for a new college focusing on AI and cybersecurity.EdScoop

Until a few years ago, computer science was the "go-to" career path recommended by parents and high school career counselors. Now, it is being rewritten with the new signboard of "AI major."

However, a glance at social media reveals that the reactions are not all praise.
Comments like "Next year, there will be an article saying 'everyone's majoring in quantum computing,'" and engineers lamenting, "With so many AI majors, who's going to write the OS or compilers?" are prevalent.
LinkedIn

What does this "major shift" really mean?

2. Numbers Indicating the "Plateau of CS" and the Growth of AI Majors

Let's start with the data.

According to a survey by the Computing Research Association (CRA), the number of computer science majors in the U.S. expanded about fourfold from 2005 to 2023, but the growth in the most recent year was only 0.2%.Medium

At top schools, more extreme numbers are beginning to emerge.

• Princeton University predicts a 25% decrease in CS majors within a few years

• Duke University has already seen a 20% drop in enrollment for introductory CS courses

These estimates are being discussed.Medium

On the other hand, what about AI majors?
An article by EdScoop, responding to the NYT report, states that "AI majors are attracting students at a faster pace than traditional 'Computer Science' majors," and highlights examples such as MIT and the University of South Florida, as well as the University of North Carolina's plan to create an "AI College" by merging two existing schools, and the University of Washington's $10 million cross-campus AI initiative.EdScoop

Thus, even at the numerical level,

• the "era of rapid growth in CS majors" has hit a temporary brake

• and some of them are beginning to flow into new majors named "AI" or "AI + something."

This is the emerging structure.

3. Why Are Students Attracted to AI Majors? — Three Reasons

(1) The "Obvious Hero Feel" of the Generative AI Boom

Since 2020, with the advent of image generation models and large language models like ChatGPT, "AI" has become a presence that fills general news and social media.Wikipedia

For high school students, the experience of "being able to create images, text, and programs instantly with AI" is more intuitive and "cool" than "process management of an OS" or "compiler optimization."
Imagining which photos would look better in a major introduction pamphlet makes it clear.

(2) The Cooling of the CS Job Market and "Anxiety"

The popularity of CS majors has historically fluctuated in tandem with the job market in the tech industry.theatlantic.com
In recent years, layoffs at major tech companies, restrictions on new graduate hiring, and the automation of some tasks by AI have combined to shake the myth of "security if you go into CS."

A professor at the University of Minnesota stated in a radio interview,

that a few years ago, CS majors were a field where "job offers poured in," but now students are looking at the job market realistically and starting to consider more flexible careers.

MPR News

On LinkedIn, voices like "I graduated in CS but can't find a job as a new graduate" and "I'm scared of being replaced by AI tools" are shared, with career coaches advising to "reassess skills and consider a career pivot."
LinkedIn

(3) The Logic of University "Rebranding" and Investment

For universities, "AI majors" are attractive product names bearing the keywords of the times.

• Establishing new colleges like the University of South Florida

• Rebranding existing CS departments with names like "AI + Data Science" or "Computing & AI"

• Making huge investments in campus-wide AI initiatives

are movements that are spreading.EdScoop

AI research is easy to attract funding and create corporate partnerships.
Being able to say "we're doing AI" makes it easier to get donations and research funds — such university circumstances are also behind the major shift.

4. Divided Evaluations on Social Media: Four Perspectives on the "AI Major Boom"

After the NYT article was published, various reactions flowed on X (formerly Twitter), LinkedIn, Threads, and other platforms. Here, we organize them into four typical types.

① FOMO Type: Students and Parents Who Don't Want to Miss Out

• "I want my child to choose an AI major. Just CS makes me anxious about the future."

• "AI is entering every industry. If you're going to do it, go right into the heart of AI."

Such sentiments reflect the psychology of "if AI is going to engulf everything, I want to be on the AI side."LinkedIn posts sharing articles about MIT's AI major and business leaders saying "future top students should have AI + decision-making skills" are also seen.

MIT News

② On-the-Ground Engineer Type: Frustration with Neglecting the Basics

On the other hand, there are many harsh comments from engineers who have been involved in software development for many years.

• "To run AI models, you need OS, compilers, and networks. Who's going to make those?"

• "Learning only how to use tools and then saying 'I'm an AI engineer' is problematic."

Such voices reflect concerns that "AI majors might sacrifice the fundamentals of CS."

In fact, blogs by experts on AI education emphasize that "while it's necessary to redesign curricula assuming generative AI, fundamentals like algorithms, data structures, and computational theory are becoming even more important."
Bucknell University College of Engineering

③ Educator/Academia Type: Calm Curriculum Discussions

At universities like Carnegie Mellon, faculty are holding retreats to discuss "what CS curricula should be in the era of generative AI."Daniel S. Christian

In posts by educators, proposals like

• expanding CS from "narrow programming" to a discipline centered on "computational thinking" and "AI literacy"

• increasing hybrid majors with other fields (humanities, design, business)

are prominent.

An educational planner, quoting the NYT article, posted that "university curricula are often years behind the realities of the CS/AI/ML industry. The key is how to keep up with the pace of change."LinkedIn

④ Self-Deprecating Optimism Type: "CS Isn't Dead, It's Being Redefined"

A LinkedIn post titled "Is Computer Science Dead? NOT EVEN CLOSE." is symbolic. It argues that

• what changes with AI and automation is the combination of skills required, not the need for CS itself

• Roles that only humans can perform, such as system architecture, algorithm optimization, and ethical AI design, are actually increasing

are being discussed.LinkedIn

This type of post doesn't pit CS against AI but takes the stance that "those who can master AI on