We can't say this is surprising

Something rather unsurprising just happened at America’s top universities:

For the first time ever, enrollment in AI majors has outpaced computer science at elite schools like MIT, Carnegie Mellon, and Stanford.

AI is now the degree of choice for the next generation of high achievers.

That headline might make some parents panic.

“If we don’t send our kid to MIT for AI, are they doomed?”

Here’s the truth: No.

Because what’s actually happening isn’t just about a bunch of coding prodigies chasing AI careers.

But it is about a total transformation in what every student needs to understand about the future.

And your child doesn’t need to be a math genius to be prepared.

They need to be AI literate, not just tech-skilled.

That means understanding how AI works, yes.

But also knowing when to trust it, how to collaborate with it, and most importantly, how to lead it.

And those skills aren’t just for kids at Stanford.

They’re for everyone.

Why This Shift Matters for All Families

Let’s break this down.

The surge in AI majors isn’t just a nerdy trend.

It’s a blaring signal.

The smartest students in the country are seeing what’s coming, and they’re adapting early.

They know that whether you go into healthcare, marketing, finance, education, design, or law… AI is going to be involved.

And the biggest career edge won’t come from writing perfect code.

It will come from knowing how to use AI without losing your human advantage.

Here’s the part most headlines skip: not all kids are built for elite technical tracks.

And they don’t need to be.

In fact, the students who will thrive are often the ones who can blend human and machine thinking.

It’s the art student who uses AI to storyboard an animation, but edits it with emotional nuance.

It’s the future social worker who uses AI to draft case notes, but connects deeply in person with a struggling teen.

It’s the small business owner who uses AI for marketing, but builds loyalty through empathy, trust and personal connection.

AI is the tool.

Humanity is still the advantage.

What Parents Need to Watch For

If we over-focus on preparing kids for “AI careers,” we miss the bigger picture.

Most kids won’t become AI researchers. But every kid will need to work with AI.

Which means the real skill set is adaptive intelligence — blending tech awareness with critical thinking, ethics, and emotional depth.

But here’s the challenge:

• Schools still teach for a world where humans do all the thinking.
  

• Many parents feel unprepared to teach AI-savviness at home.
  

• Kids are already using AI tools like ChatGPT… without guardrails.
  

That’s a recipe for shallow learning and deep confusion.

Because without the right guidance, kids will either:

1. Over-rely on AI to do the thinking for them, or
   

2. Reject AI completely, and fall behind those who know how to use it.
   

Neither path sets them up to lead.

The Real Future-Proof Skillset

Your child’s success won’t depend on getting into MIT or majoring in AI.

It will depend on these 3 things:

1. Understanding what AI is good at, and what it’s not.
   
   

2. Learning to use AI as a partner, not a crutch.
   
   

3. Doubling down on the human skills AI can’t replicate.
   
   

Because when your child learns to think better than the machines, they won’t just survive this future — they’ll lead it.

And that’s something no degree can guarantee.

But the right mindset can.