GoKawiilKey Takeaways Colleges across the U.S. are racing to build AI degree programs.
AI degrees have expanded from just a handful of programs in 2021 to at least 74 majors and 89 minors now offered on U.S. campuses.
Another dozen universities are planning to add AI majors this year, with some programs positioning themselves as deeply technical while others focus on using AI tools.
AI degrees are no longer confined to select universities.
In 2021, only five colleges in the U.S. offered an undergraduate major focused on AI. Now the field is expanding so quickly that even the experts cataloging these programs are having trouble keeping pace, The New York Times reported earlier this week. Researchers at Northeastern University’s Center for Inclusive Computing estimate that students can already choose from at least 74 AI majors and 89 minors on U.S. campuses.
The wave is still building. At least a dozen additional institutions, many of them far outside Silicon Valley’s orbit, are preparing to roll out their own AI majors this year. The Times noted that the rapid growth captures both the hype surrounding the technology and higher education’s ambition to prove it has a central role in an AI-driven future.
The goal is to help colleges and students stay relevant as AI changes the global job market. The new degrees, however, look very different from campus to campus. Some go deep into how AI actually works, while others focus on using AI tools in practice. No one knows how graduates with these degrees will fare as employers adjust their hiring needs.
Uzezi Olorunmola is counting on AI skills being in demand. He is pursuing his doctorate in AI from the University of North Dakota.
“Some call it a bubble. Maybe it is,” Olorunmola told the Times. “But I think it’s pretty much here to stay, and the earlier you not only get with the program but also know how to use AI or use AI applications, I think it’s better. We’re basically the test subjects.”
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