Hustler Words – A significant reorientation is underway within higher education, particularly noticeable across University of California campuses this autumn. For the first time since the dot-com bust, enrollment in traditional computer science programs has seen a marked decline. System-wide figures reveal a 6% contraction this year, following a 3% dip in 2024, according to recent data published by the San Francisco Chronicle. This trend emerges even as national college enrollment experienced a 2% uptick, as reported by the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center in January, indicating a clear shift away from conventional CS degrees.
The lone outlier in this pattern is UC San Diego, the only UC institution that introduced a specialized Artificial Intelligence major this fall. This isolated success story hints that the broader decline in CS isn’t merely a temporary anomaly, perhaps linked to recent reports of fewer computer science graduates securing immediate employment. Instead, it likely signals a profound, long-term shift, one that nations like China have already embraced with considerable enthusiasm. As MIT Technology Review highlighted last July, Chinese universities have aggressively prioritized AI literacy, viewing AI not as a potential threat but as foundational infrastructure for the future. Nearly 60% of Chinese students and faculty now integrate AI tools into their daily routines multiple times, with institutions such as Zhejiang University making AI coursework mandatory. Elite universities like Tsinghua have gone further, establishing entirely new interdisciplinary AI colleges. In China, proficiency in AI is no longer optional; it is a fundamental requirement.
American universities are now rapidly accelerating their efforts to adapt. Over the past two years, dozens of institutions have rolled out AI-specific curricula. MIT’s "AI and Decision-Making" major, for instance, has swiftly become the second-largest academic program on its campus. Data from the New York Times in December revealed that the University of South Florida successfully enrolled over 3,000 students in its new AI and Cybersecurity college during the fall semester. Similarly, the University at Buffalo launched a new "AI and Society" department last summer, offering seven distinct undergraduate degree programs, attracting more than 200 applicants even before its official opening.
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However, this academic pivot has not been uniformly smooth. UNC Chapel Hill Chancellor Lee Roberts, speaking in October, described a spectrum of faculty responses: some "leaning forward" with AI integration, while others remained resistant, metaphorically "with their heads in the sand." Roberts, a former finance executive from outside traditional academia, has been a staunch advocate for AI integration despite internal faculty pushback. A week prior to his comments, UNC announced the merger of two schools to form an AI-focused entity, a decision that sparked considerable debate. Roberts also appointed a dedicated vice provost for AI, emphasizing the inevitability of AI in professional life: "No one’s going to say to students after they graduate, ‘Do the best job you can, but if you use AI, you’ll be in trouble,’" he noted, contrasting this with the stance of some current faculty members.
Parents are also playing a crucial role in this evolving landscape. David Reynaldo, who directs the admissions consultancy College Zoom, informed the Chronicle that parents who once instinctively steered their children towards computer science are now reflexively guiding them toward other majors perceived as more resilient to AI automation, such as mechanical and electrical engineering.
Yet, enrollment figures suggest students are making their preferences clear through their choices. An October survey by the nonprofit Computing Research Association, whose members include computer science and computer engineering departments from a broad spectrum of universities, indicated that 62% of respondents reported a decline in undergraduate enrollment in their computing programs this fall. But with AI-focused programs expanding rapidly, this trend appears less like a wholesale tech exodus and more like a strategic migration. The University of Southern California is set to launch an AI degree this coming fall, a move mirrored by Columbia University, Pace University, and New Mexico State University, among many others. Students are not abandoning technology; they are actively choosing programs centered on artificial intelligence.
It remains premature to definitively state whether this academic recalibration represents a permanent paradigm shift or a transient wave of concern. Nevertheless, it serves as an urgent imperative for university administrators who have grappled for years with how to integrate AI into the classroom. The debate over banning generative AI tools like ChatGPT now feels like ancient history. The pressing question for American universities is whether they can innovate and adapt with sufficient speed, or if they will continue to deliberate while students gravitate towards institutions that have already provided clear answers for the AI-driven future.
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