GREENSBORO— N.C. A&T will become the first university in the state to offer a bachelor’s degree program in artificial intelligence. 

While many schools are working on keeping AI out of the classroom, N.C. A&T is welcoming AI into its classrooms with open arms. 

“We're seeing a large number of students who are interested in artificial intelligence, and we see how artificial intelligence really is becoming predominant in what we do every single day,” said Stephanie Luster-Teasley Pass, the dean of the College of Engineering. 

An example of an AI program students could use at N.C. A&T. (Spectrum News 1/Sydney McCoy)

Despite the school having AI integrated into other courses, this new program is one of few in the nation that offers this specific degree and is a collaboration between the College of Engineering and the College of Science and Technology. 

“AI is growing exponentially, and with that, it causes major societal impact. And we have to make sure that the ethics issue is understood by our students and what we call in our field responsible AI,” said Abdellah Ahmidouch, the dean of the College of Science and Technology at N.C. A&T. 

Students will be able to enroll in one of two concentrations for the degree. Advanced AI Systems will be offered through the College of Engineering and Applied AI in the College of Science and Technology. The students will learn skills ranging from programming to the ethics of AI. 

“AI is weaved in all of the different disciplines, and it's ever-changing. So the demands for today may change for tomorrow. But what we're doing is we're equipping ourself with the state-of-the art faculty that can lead our degree programs and help adjust our curriculums as needed,” said Evelyn Sowells-Boone, the chair of the Computer Systems Technology Department at N.C. A&T. 

N.C. A&T already has multiple partnerships with programs, like Google and Microsoft with AI, meaning this new degree could make North Carolina a hot spot for AI employers. 

“Having a student who is coming day one ready to engage in developing solutions to some of the world's most challenging problems is a very attractive student to have joining your team,” said John Kelly, N.C. A&T’s Electrical and Computer Engineering interim department chair. 

N.C. A&T hopes to enroll students both online and in person for the inaugural program starting in the fall of 2025. The university is looking to add an AI graduates degree program in the future.