The World Has Changed Completely, Signs Accelerate on University Campuses

Artificial intelligence (AI) technology has already changed the way modern society lives, including in the world of education. Back in 2021, only five universities in the United States (US) offered AI majors. Now, universities are launching programmes so quickly that it is difficult to track the number accurately. However, according to a New York Times report based on data from Northeastern University’s Center for Inclusive Computing, there are at least 74 AI majors and 89 AI minors available on US campuses. Dozens of other campuses, even those far from Silicon Valley, are ready to launch new AI majors this year. This phenomenon reflects that the AI era has truly penetrated every aspect of public life. The purpose of universities launching AI majors is to keep students competitive as the global economy changes due to AI. Yet these new programmes vary greatly in detail. Some universities emphasise the internal workings of AI, AI data security, and AI ethics, while many others focus on how to use it. It is not yet clear what the fate of students earning these degrees will be as companies continue to streamline, especially in the technology sector which is rife with layoffs. “Some call it a bubble. Perhaps it is,” said Uzezi Olorunmola, who is pursuing a doctorate in AI at the University of North Dakota. “In my opinion, AI is here to stay. The faster we understand this programme and also know how to use AI or AI applications, the better,” he added. At North Dakota State University, only an AI minor is currently available. However, the campus will soon offer an AI major this year. The curriculum will include topics such as the social consequences of AI, as well as data security in the AI era. “We are not just teaching large language models (LLMs). In my opinion, we would not be helping students if we were limited to just that aspect,” said Anne Denton, undergraduate programme coordinator in the Department of Computer Science at North Dakota State University, as quoted by the New York Times. In a submission to the State Board of Higher Education this year, North Dakota State University stated that demand for AI degrees is increasingly soaring. “Demand is strong and growing, while regional supply is very limited.” North Dakota State University predicts the AI programme will have 60 students within five years. In Grand Forks, leaders and professors at the University of North Dakota believe that enthusiasm for AI is not limited to undergraduate degrees. Many people who are already working want or need to learn the new technology. “They contact me, and they say, ‘in my job, I have to work with all these data analysis tasks’. They are looking for a programme that will give them more foundational knowledge,” said Emanuel S. Grant, graduate programme director for the School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science.