Harvard Professor: AI Isn't the Only Reason for Declining Popularity of Computer Science Majors; Industry Cooling Has Long Had Impact

Computer science has long been a popular major in the US, but latest data shows that enrollment in four-year university CS programs fell by 8.1% year-on-year in fall 2025, the largest drop since 2020. David J. Malan, a Harvard computer science professor, points out that AI isn't the only reason for this trend; the overall cooling of the tech industry has had an impact for a long time.

Malan says that in recent years, tech industry job cuts have reduced entry-level positions, and large companies are less active in campus recruitment. While AI has weakened some students' interest, this trend existed before ChatGPT's rise. He emphasizes that CS teaches problem-solving skills, which are useful long-term, and the tech industry will continue to have cycles until society forms a rational understanding.