University of Florida: Building the Nation’s First AI University
By Renee Buchanan, Associate Director, Communications and Marketing, UF’s Artificial Intelligence Academic Initiative Center
Artificial intelligence has become the talk of the day, as it transforms the way we live and work. We use AI in our daily lives, from asking Siri for directions, to getting Netflix movie recommendations or having facial recognition to open our smart phones. Artificial intelligence holds tremendous promise for innovation, equity, and creative solutions if we can prepare America’s workforce at speed and scale to embrace and harness this new technology. The need for a skilled AI workforce grows daily, and Forbes predicts that the AI workforce demand is projected to grow to $190 billion by 2025.
The University of Florida is committed to building the nation’s first AI university by infusing AI instruction in all disciplines, hiring more than 100 expert AI faculty across its 16 colleges, and offering more than 200 courses in AI and data science to thousands of students. At UF, AI courses are available to any student regardless of their major because AI technology is being used in many disciplines. Students with no prior education in computer or data science can learn the fundamentals of AI as well as AI ethics.
By offering AI courses across all disciplines, UF can graduate thousands of students annually who are ready to apply AI in their careers. Career coaches at UF’s Career Connections Center say that 77% of businesses surveyed indicate their use of AI to ramp up productivity and efficiency. AI learning boosts critical-thinking skills, data analysis and interpretation and problem solving, all highly sought attributes in today’s workforce. There has never been a more exciting time to be a Florida Gator!
At the foundation of UF’s AI Across the Curriculum is a university-wide, nine-credit hour undergraduate certificate in artificial intelligence. The certificate consists of three courses: Fundamentals of AI; Ethics, Data and Technology; and a third course contextualizing AI and data science within the student’s chosen major. Students who would like to obtain greater competence and expertise can add additional coursework in artificial intelligence and applications within their major field of study.
Those already in the workforce can increase their knowledge of artificial intelligence through professional development courses offered by the UF Office of Professional and Workforce Development. Working professionals can enroll in UF’s flexible, online program to learn the latest in AI-driven practice and techniques for advancement of careers. No technical knowledge is necessary, as these courses start with the fundamentals of AI.
UF is at the helm of educating others on AI resources beyond our Gainesville campus. Researchers in UF’s Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering and the College of Education have been leaders in initiatives to bring AI learning to K-12 students in school districts throughout Florida. These AI experts are establishing the framework for K-12 learning standards in AI as well as developing national guidelines for AI education, creating an online, curated resource directory of AI teaching tools, as well as building a community of collaboration between AI practitioners, researchers, and tool developers.
In addition, the University of Florida has partnered with Florida’s minority-serving institutions and state colleges to train their faculty and increase their AI offerings across each campus. UF is also playing a leading role in the Southeastern (Athletic) Conference’s AI Consortium, with 14 other SEC universities to collaborate on resources, faculty and staff development and joint industry partnerships.
As AI is increasingly used in decision-making, there is a need for trustworthy artificial intelligence. UF provides students the opportunity to learn about the importance of ethics in AI, as UF was a signatory on The Rome Call to Ethics, joining other worldwide universities in a global agreement committed to human-centered approaches to ethical and equitable AI for the benefit of all people.
Much has been accomplished since UF’s AI initiative began in 2020 when the NVIDIA, the Silicon-Valley based technology company, gifted the university with one of the fastest supercomputers in higher ed, named HiPerGator. This resource is available to all faculty and students, as well as to other universities and industries. In 2022, the university established centralized leadership of AI academic efforts via the establishment of the Artificial Intelligence Academic Initiative (AI2) Center.
Want to learn more about UF’ s AI Journey here:
Dr. Kevin Wang and Dr. Dana Choi from UF’s College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, use robotics in their plant research at UF’s Gulf Coast Research and Education Center.