Harvard Computer Science professor David J. Malan has highlighted that the recent decline in computer science (CS) enrollment is not solely due to the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies. According to data from the National Student Clearinghouse, CS enrollment at four-year colleges in the U.S. dropped by 8.1% in fall 2025, marking the largest one-year decrease across all majors since 2020. Malan pointed out that interest in CS was already waning due to a downturn in tech offerings prior to the surge in popularity of AI tools like OpenAI's ChatGPT. He noted that fewer entry-level job opportunities have led some tech companies to reduce their recruitment efforts on campuses. Despite the current dip, Malan believes that interest in the field will continue to fluctuate over time, suggesting that a 'healthier medium' in discourse around technology is needed to appreciate its true value. He emphasizes that computer science education is about developing problem-solving skills applicable across various fields, not just programming languages.