Should You Still Pursue Computer Science in the Age of AI?

Recently, a former Nvidia CEO said that coding is dead and AI will make English the new programming language. If you're thinking about studying Computer Science (CS), you might wonder if it's still worth it. As a Machine Learning Engineer who didn't come from a technical background, I strongly believe that you should pursue CS. Here's why.

Understanding How Computers Work

Computer Science is not just about programming. It's about learning how computers work. AI, at its core, is just data and algorithms powered by computers. Many years ago, programmers would write simple messages on the screen by communicating directly with a computer using languages like Assembly. Here's an example:

; Assembly code to display 'Hello, World!'
section .data
hello db 'Hello, World!',0
section .text
global _start
_start:
mov eax, 4
mov ebx, 1
mov ecx, hello
mov edx, 13
int 0x80
mov eax, 1
xor ebx, ebx
int 0x80

Now, we can write the same "Hello, World" message in Python with just one line:

print("Hello, World!")

The computer is still doing the same thing. The difference is that it has become easier to communicate with computers. CS teaches you what happens behind the scenes, whether you're using Assembly or Python.

Will AI Replace Coding?

Some people fear that AI will replace programming altogether. While it's true that AI tools will make programming easier, it's unlikely that AI will completely replace the need to understand computers. Wouldn't you want to be the person who understands how upgrading a GPU or adjusting parameters in AI models like Top-K impacts performance? Or why an AI model gives a certain answer based on your plain English input?

The Power of Understanding CS

Computer Science gives you a huge advantage. While others rely on AI to write code for them, you'll know how to improve it. You'll understand what's happening in the background and why AI behaves the way it does. This is something that will set you apart.

Conclusion

Just like calculators didn't make the study of math useless, AI won't make Computer Science obsolete. AI will speed up the process, but the foundation of how computers work will always be valuable. Pursuing CS will equip you with the knowledge to not only use AI tools but to improve them.