If you are interested in the internals of computers just as much as programming them, take a good hard look at Computer Engineering as a major instead. You still get to code, but you also get to understand the hardware underneath it all. Since it is rooted in the physical parts of computing, I think it is less likely for AI to eat those jobs. (Plus, everything from your car to your TV to your coffee maker has an embedded microprocessor in it now. I think embedded software is a safe bet.)

But, no matter what major you pick, it is no longer the case that simply graduating with a degree (and a good GPA) is a guarantee of a good job. You need to go beyond your classes, and find additional things to work on. Internships are great if you can get them, but even if you can’t, try to find an open source project (or even a hobby project) that you can spend time on. You want to have something more than your coursework on your resume for those first jobs. I would even value a resume with some good internships or side projects and a 3.6 GPA over someone with a 5.0 GPA who did nothing else.

Finally, whatever you do, don’t extend yourself to go into debt. Maybe there are a small handful of CS schools that are worth going into debt to attend – but let’s face it, if they want you and you’re good enough, they will find a way to get you to afford it there, and you will get hired somewhere. But, I know folks who went into 100+k worth of debt to go to a CS program at a small liberal arts college because they liked the campus. Don’t be that person. Unless you are MIT or CalTech material, your local State University is probably good enough. If you do get through 4 years of school and can’t find a job in your field and need to pivot, that will be so much easier to do if you have as little debt as possible.