Purdue University just made waves by becoming the first U.S. university to mandate AI skills as a graduation requirement. It's an interesting move—basically saying 'you can't leave here without understanding how to work with AI tools.'

This reflects a bigger shift happening across tech and finance sectors. As AI becomes embedded in everything from trading algorithms to smart contract development, traditional education is finally catching up. Universities are realizing that ignoring AI literacy isn't an option anymore.

The crypto and blockchain space should take notes. We've always talked about needing more technical talent in Web3, but how many blockchain developers actually got formal education in smart contracts or protocol design? Purdue's move suggests mainstream institutions are starting to see AI fluency the way the industry sees technical competency—as a baseline requirement, not a bonus.

Whether this becomes standard across U.S. universities will be worth watching. Could be a wake-up call for other schools that graduates need practical AI knowledge to compete in tomorrow's job market.