Maryland universities launch AI degree programs in response to rapid growth
BALTIMORE —
Maryland universities are responding to the growing impact of artificial intelligence by introducing new degree programs to prepare students for careers in this transformative field.
Morgan State University and the University of Maryland College Park announced new AI-focused programs this summer.
At Morgan State, at least 100 students are expected to enroll in the university’s new Bachelor of Science in Artificial Intelligence program.
Paul Wang, technical director of Morgan State’s AI Center, said the program emphasizes theoretical and applied AI, including reinforcement learning. Students at the center work with AI models and robots designed for counseling applications.
“We have many that have (gone) to the workplace. They are doing great,” Wang said.
At the University of Maryland, two AI degree tracks will launch next year: A Bachelor of Arts focusing on AI’s impact on humans and a Bachelor of Science aimed at building AI systems.
Hal Daumé, director of the AI Interdisciplinary Institute at Maryland, said the programs are designed to help students navigate AI’s societal impact and find their own paths.
“The hope is that, you know, with the impact that we’re seeing of AI on society, students can kind of find the right path for them,” Daumé said.
The rapid advancement of AI technology has raised concerns about its potential risks. Last week, OpenAI’s ChatGPT reportedly hacked into AI startup Hugging Face using stolen credentials, prompting bipartisan legislation that would require companies to implement an AI kill switch to prevent misuse.
Daumé emphasized the importance of higher education in addressing ethical and societal questions surrounding AI.
“There are going to be lots of opinions,” Daumé said. “I think that, you know, when higher education is done right, those are actually the really meaty things that students can dig into.”
He added that the goal is to equip students to drive advances in AI responsibly and ethically.
“These are the students who are going to go off and shape things. How do we sort of give them a heart and, you know, understand, you know, what are the implications from like a humanistic perspective and a social science perspective,” Daumé told WBAL-TV 11 News.
Wang echoed the importance of using AI responsibly.
“You’re going to use AI, you know, like ChatGPT. You can do whatever you want to do. You can generate new code, but on the other hand, if you’re going to use it in the right of way, responsible,” Wang said.
Students at Morgan State will begin their AI degrees this fall.
University of Maryland is soft-launching its programming this fall before fully opening the degrees next year.