Do Kids Need Coding Classes in the Age of AI?

Have you read those articles lately—the ones about fresh computer science graduates struggling to find jobs, or the wave of layoffs sweeping through the tech industry? It’s a sobering read. Not long ago, teaching kids to code was seen as a golden ticket to future success. But in today’s AI-powered world, many parents are asking: Is learning to code still relevant for our kids? Or should we be focusing on something else entirely?

As a mom who works in tech, I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about this. And here’s my honest take.

The Job of Programming Has Changed

There’s no denying that AI has transformed the landscape of programming. Tasks that once took hours can now be handled in minutes—or seconds—by AI tools like ChatGPT and Copilot. Code autocompletion, bug detection, even entire software scaffolds can be generated automatically. Productivity has skyrocketed. But here’s the flip side: so has job redundancy. Many companies now need fewer programmers to do the same amount of work, which has led to downsizing.

But that’s not the full story.

AI Isn’t Taking Away All the Jobs—It’s Changing Them

Scroll through any tech job board, and you’ll see a new kind of demand emerging: startups building AI-powered tools, companies hiring engineers with AI and machine learning skills, and businesses looking for people who can integrate AI into existing systems. The demand for coding hasn’t vanished—it’s evolved.

That means the kind of coding our kids need to learn has to evolve too. It’s not just about writing for-loops or building websites anymore. It’s about understanding how to work with AI, how to direct it, question it, and leverage it creatively.

Even If Your Kid Doesn’t Become a Coder…

Not every child who learns to code will grow up to be a software engineer. And that’s okay. Because coding isn’t just about getting a tech job—it’s a way of thinking.

Learning to code teaches computational thinking, problem-solving, creativity, and critical thinking. These are skills that will be useful whether your child becomes a doctor, a designer, an entrepreneur, or something we can’t even imagine yet.

In fact, maybe your child won’t work for anyone at all. Maybe they’ll be the one telling ChatGPT to build them a website for their own business idea. But they’ll only be able to do that confidently if they understand how the technology works and what it can (and can’t) do.

Empowerment Through Creation

One of the reasons I personally went into tech is because I find programming deeply rewarding. There’s nothing quite like the feeling of typing some code and watching something come to life on screen. It’s like having superpowers. I built that. It’s empowering.

Kids today spend so much time consuming content—scrolling, swiping, watching. Coding gives them a chance to create. To be wizards instead of just muggles. And that’s a powerful shift.

Knowledge is Power

Technology is embedded in every part of our lives now—from the toys our kids play with to the way our homes are run, the jobs we do, and the way we communicate. The more kids understand it, the more empowered they’ll be.

Not just to take advantage of the opportunities—but to protect themselves too. Knowing how tech works makes them more critical consumers and better digital citizens.

My Take: Do Kids Still Need to Learn to Code?

I don’t know exactly what the future holds. But I do know this: technology will be a huge part of it.

So yes, I believe kids should learn to code. Not necessarily because they’ll all be software developers, but because it will help them become confident, creative, and capable people in a digital world.

Help your kids understand the tools that will shape their future—not just to survive in a tech-driven world, but to lead, to innovate, and maybe even to change it for the better.