Something unusual is happening at University of California campuses this fall as computer science enrollment drops for the first time since the dot-com crash. While overall college enrollment is on the rise, traditional CS degrees are being abandoned by students, with UC San Diego being the exception due to its new dedicated AI major. This shift reflects a global trend where Chinese universities are heavily investing in AI education, making fluency with AI a mandatory skill.

In response to the growing demand for AI skills, U.S. universities are scrambling to launch AI-specific programs. However, the transition hasn’t been smooth everywhere, with faculty resistance and mixed reactions from parents. Despite this, enrollment numbers show that students are gravitating towards AI programs, suggesting a migration rather than a tech exodus. As American universities grapple with integrating AI into their curriculum, the urgency to keep pace with the market demand for AI skills is becoming increasingly apparent.