Margot Lee | A&E Editor
March 6, 2026
As artificial intelligence creeps into all facets of our lives, one field is especially taking the hit. Seen by a 6% decrease in computer science major enrollment within the UC school system, the practice and interest of computer science is on the decline. The study that was once named most sought-after major in 2021 has left students rethinking their path and analyzing the long term prospects of AI and technology.
With the promise of a hefty yearly salary coupled with warranted job stability, undergraduate students throughout the late 2000s and 2010s jumped at the chance to study computer science and its adjacent sub disciplines such as cyber security, software engineering, and data science. At the time, companies like Apple, Microsoft, and Meta were in high demand for programmers and software developers. Mastering coding technologies and programs such as JavaScript quickly became the most desired skill within the tech job market.
Since then, generative AI has increased the speed of programming by leaps and bounds while also shifting the existing roles of computer scientists. Many predict that AI will open new opportunities for humans, including ethics, creativity, and human judgment within tech design. While AI is not completely eliminating the field, the future will simply favor alternative skills for humans. To adapt, future demand is seemingly shifting towards artificial intelligence degrees, ultimately protecting human insight. This leaves the tedious technical skills for ChatGPT and the emerging GitHub Copilot, an AI coding assistant, created by OpenAI.
Sophomore and AP Computer Science student Kendall Murphy commented on the decreasing enrollment in computer science, claiming she “doesn’t see [her]self pursuing computer science in the future,” although the “class is super fun and interesting.” Senior Natalie Deyhimy added to the conversation by mentioning with the rise of AI, “it’s more worthwhile to study the hard sciences to develop concrete skills.”
While the line between AI takeover and AI assistance is blurred, the computer science field is at a critical turning point. And with the decline of interest, both new opportunities and ethical dilemmas are born. How the industry will adapt to an AI forward future remains unknown.
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