Economist Susskind: UK coding push shows 'future-proofing' is folly when AI masters the skill

Economist Daniel Susskind's new book "What Should My Children Do?" (Penguin, £20), reviewed in The Guardian on 9 September 2026, cites the David Cameron government's rush to teach children coding — shortly before AI mastered coding itself — as evidence against betting on any single skill as future-proof. Susskind, a King's College London economist and former Downing Street adviser, argues for adaptability instead.