As higher ed continues to adapt to AI, UTSA announces a new college dedicated to it

As the demand for artificial intelligence (AI) increases, so does the demand for professionals with the technical proficiency to develop the technology. As a result, schools are challenged with adapting to the growing demands. In response, the University of Texas At San Antonio (UTSA) announced a new college. 

Also: Microsoft’s AI-powered reading tutor lets students choose their own adventures – and it’s free

On Friday, UTSA announced an initiative to build a new college dedicated to AI, cybersecurity, computing, data science, and other related disciplines to foster innovation and advance research in the rapidly evolving landscape of these technologies, according to the release. 

“This initiative is driven by our commitment to fostering innovation, advancing research, and delivering educational excellence across related disciplines,” said Heather Shipley, Interim Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs. 

Currently, these degree programs are spread across four colleges at UTSA. The new college will place all the intertwined degrees in one place to foster cross-collaboration and better serve academic needs across the related disciplines. 

Since the AI boom, the university has seen a spike in the number of students enrolled in AI, cyber, computing, and data science-related degree programs at UTSA, with nearly 6,000 students enrolled now, reflecting a 31% increase since 2019. 

“The convergence of AI, data science, computing, and cybersecurity signifies a very forward-looking endeavor as we embrace the fifth industrial revolution, now especially propelled by AI advancements,” said UTSA President Taylor Eighmy.

Also: ChatGPT goes to college: OpenAI finds its first higher education partner

The announcement cites reports showing approximately 3.5 million open positions in cybersecurity and data science globally, highlighting the need for a trained workforce.

AI is undeniably forcing higher education institutions to reevaluate their established way of doing things, tweaking their AI offerings like UTSA or even how they choose to implement AI within their curriculum. Just last week, Arizona State University announced an AI partnership with OpenAI, becoming the first college to implement ChatGPT Enterprise.