U.S. Universities Roll Out 74 A.I. Majors as Colleges Chase Students and Relevance
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Jun 8
U.S. Universities Roll Out 74 A.I. Majors as Colleges Chase Students and Relevance
3 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Jun 8
Summary
Only five U.S. schools offered an A.I. major in 2021; that count has jumped to at least 74 majors and 89 minors, with another dozen campuses expected to launch majors this year.
Colleges are expanding the programs to attract students and signal relevance as artificial intelligence reshapes the economy and a shaky job market raises pressure to offer career-ready degrees.
The new offerings vary sharply: some focus on A.I.’s technical foundations, while many emphasize applying A.I. tools, including at schools far from traditional tech hubs such as North Dakota.
That rapid buildout still carries uncertainty, with researchers struggling to track programs and students acknowledging they are early test cases as employers continue recalibrating what A.I. skills they want.