In just a few short years, AI has leapt from the pages of science fiction into our everyday lives. This new wave of technology is already reshaping the way we live, work, learn, and interact – and we’re only at the beginning of what could be the most significant technological revolution in human history. As the pace of change accelerates, we face an urgent question: what exactly should young people be learning today to ensure they can thrive in a world where AI is changing everything?
Until recently, the case for learning to code was simple: it opened the door to a well-paid job. But with industry reporting that 30% of code is now written by AI, it’s no surprise some are asking: do kids still need to learn to code?
The answer is emphatically yes. Even in a world where AI systems can generate much of the code once written by humans, we still need skilled human programmers who can translate messy, real-world problems into the prompts that guide AI. And the human role doesn’t stop there.
We need programmers who can critically assess the code AI produces – checking it is safe, ethical, and fit for purpose. We need human creativity to spot new opportunities for computation to solve problems and systems thinking to weave code into complex software architectures. The hard work of learning to code is what equips young people with the mental models and fluency to become skilled programmers.
Just as we ask them to write stories to build language skills and literacy, coding is the hands-on practice through which they can develop computational literacy.
As AI systems improve and generate more of the code that runs the world, will we just need fewer human programmers? History suggests otherwise. More likely, AI will amplify the role of programming, spreading it across every sector and creating fresh demand for people who can safely and creatively guide intelligent systems.
In this future, coding isn’t just for software engineers. It’s a core skill – essential for critical thinking and effective problem-solving as we deploy AI across fields from healthcare to agriculture.
Even if a young person never uses their coding skills in the workplace, they’ll gain a crucial form of digital literacy – one that gives them agency in a world increasingly shaped by technology. Because ultimately, learning to code is about power.
All of us are going to be on the receiving end of more automated decisions taken by AI systems. Learning to code gives people the tools and confidence to question and challenge those decisions, and ultimately the power to advocate for their rights.
If we don’t open these opportunities to as broad a group of young people as possible, we will concentrate that power in the hands of too small and homogenous a group. We’ve made that mistake before and we are all living with the consequences.
The UK government is currently engaged in a long overdue overhaul of the curriculum and there are some signs that they have recognised the importance of expanding access to computer science and AI literacy.
Alongside what will hopefully be an updated computer science curriculum and qualifications, we also need the review to recognise that coding, programming, and AI literacy have to be infused across all subjects.
We also need to create more opportunities for young people in our schools to get hands-on with technology and to build real projects as part of their learning journey. For too long, we’ve been slaves to an examination system that prioritises regurgitation of knowledge as a barometer for learning.
Changing education policy is the start, but it will mean nothing if we don’t also invest in our teachers. More than any other subject, computer science classes are being taught by teachers who don’t have a qualification in the subject.
That isn’t a criticism of those teachers, but a recognition we’re asking them to do an incredibly difficult job without the proper investment. We need to provide teachers with the support, training, and time to build their skills and confidence to teach computer science effectively.
At a time when so much about the future is uncertain, we know that learning to code will put our young people in the best possible position to thrive in a world transformed by AI. The UK is currently one of the world’s leaders in the development of AI technologies. If we fail to act now, we won’t enjoy that position for much longer.
Philip Colligan CBE is CEO of the Raspberry Pi Foundation