How to Start Learning Programming in the Age of AI

The arrival of Large Language Models (LLMs) has fundamentally changed the starting point for new programmers. Today, a beginner can start with a prompt rather than an IDE, receiving instant code, explanations, and debugging help. This shift brings us to a major crossroads: How should you actually start? After observing how students, researchers, and the industry have reacted to these tools over the last few years, I believe the answer depends entirely on your specific goals.