Kids Still Need to Learn to Code in the AI Era (time.com)

As AI automates more routine developer tasks and shrinks entry-level tech roles, the prevailing narrative that a computer science degree guarantees a high‑paying job has frayed. But that decline in immediate job prospects shouldn’t be read as a reason to discourage young people from learning to code. Computer science imparts computational thinking, critical reasoning, and technical agency that students apply across finance, healthcare, art, international relations and community problem‑solving — skills that are essential for understanding, using, and shaping AI rather than being passively affected by it. The bigger risk is a generation gap: fewer young people gaining the skills and experience needed to influence AI’s design, ethics and deployment. Real-world examples show why inclusion matters — TIME Kid of the Year Tejasvi Manoj’s Shield Seniors uses AI to combat cybercrime targeting elders, and Trisha Prabhu’s ReThink leverages AI to detect and prevent cyberbullying. To ensure AI is fair, useful and accountable, educators, policymakers and industry must expand access to CS education, elevate youth voices, and create pathways beyond traditional entry‑level roles so the next generation can build and govern the technologies that will shape their future.