3rd year AI/ML student who doesn’t like AI/ML --- need some real guidance

I’m currently a 3rd year AI & ML student, but honestly… I don’t really know AI or ML, and I was never genuinely interested in it. Back in 2024 when AI was booming, I chose this field thinking I could build some models and start making money easily with the degree. That clearly didn’t go as planned. By the end of my 4th semester (around May 2025), I started learning C++, and learnt all the fundamentals till the end of 5th semester, and since january 2026 I’ve been grinding LeetCode consistently. Recently, after doing more research, I understood that just DSA isn’t enough and I need some resume-worthy projects. I have a few doubts: * What kind of projects should I build with C++ that actually help in getting hired? * In today’s AI-heavy job market, which areas of C++ are still valuable? * Is it worth trying to mix C++ with Python/ML, or should I focus purely on SDE roles? * I’ve also started learning some Python just to stay relevant for AI-related companies—am I going in the right direction? I feel like I corrected my path a bit late but still want to make the most of the time I have left. Would really appreciate honest advice from people who’ve been in a similar situation or are already working in the industry.