[hackermailman]

Using lightweight formal methods to verify models that the AI later builds. Example is Forge: https://forge-fm.github.io/book/2026/

Another skill is conceptual design or figuring out how the user interface should work using a design method to identify logical problems because we will all still have to use software. This book and the tutorials are quite good at explaining why some software succeeds and others fail https://essenceofsoftware.com/tutorials/

Accurate cost models for running code are still going to be needed because all the architecture is going to change. Many schools teach algorithm engineering like MIT but the best examples I've found is this course https://15799.courses.cs.cmu.edu/spring2025/schedule.html

You now can design an interface to a system that someone like a paying client will enjoy using, design the hidden 'back end' of the system to be correct using formal methods, then derive an accurate cost model to see how it will run on whatever hardware we are using 5 years from now.

If I were going into school today I would take robotics as that's the next big field and will have research grants and money coming in. It will require the same skills of formal methods for 'cyber-physical safety' and new cost models.