C++ will outlive you.
This year, maybe next, maybe a year or two after that, is probably the most C++ lines of code in production use there will ever be. Why would one choose C++ for new projects at this point? There are niches where Rust is still uncomfortable or just doesn't have the support, but not for much longer. Models are very good at Rust and good at porting to Rust. And, Rust is a good language for models because it is so strict...it helps keep them in line.
Let's put [Citation needed] on this and let's assume that your personal opinion bubble of developers doesn't really represent the combined worlds software industry. Mind actually proving that there's a significant decline of use of C++ outside the hype crowd?
> Why would one choose C++ for new projects at this point?
Why indeed would you choose a language supported on every running platform on this world with a massive library of supported dependencies and mature compilers developed by stable teams.
(I'd probably also personally choose Rust for new projects, but let's make this a practice in "not everyone is like me" empathy.)