Formal training in computer programming should expose people to "standard" methods of solving problems (like constraint satisfaction, dynamic programming etc.).

Formal training in computer programming should expose people to "standard" methods of solving problems (like constraint satisfaction, dynamic programming etc.). I did an AI course (and separately a lab) while at college and there were a few problems we were asked to solve using specific algorithms. The "hardest" was a Tic-Tac-Toe player that used a game tree. It wasn't too hard and I remember thinking that I didn't learn much but the general methodologies stay in your head and when there's a problem that comes up later, you have an arsenal of thing you can draw on to attack it. I'm not saying that it will guarantee better solutions but when all you have is a hammer, every problem will look like a nail.