Does this make good sense?

Just a few years ago, colleges were concerned about artificial intelligence (AI) only because it makes cheating easy for students, but today we find many of them devising courses and even majors about its use. Does this make good sense?

That’s the question Jovan Tripkovic examines in today’s Martin Center article.

He writes, “UNC Charlotte is simply the latest institution to join the AI race. There is little doubt that the gold rush has reached higher education. Artificial intelligence may indeed revolutionize universities in the near future—but the question remains: Is this trend sustainable, or is it just another academic fad?”

University officials are framing this as an economic development issue. Supposedly, the state will fall behind unless its universities embrace AI and graduate workers who have been trained in AI use.

Sounds good, but let’s not be too hasty. Tripkovic points to downsides: “Many of these programs were created in little more than a year, raising the risk of cafeteria-style, watered-down curricula. And if artificial intelligence is truly the future, as the tech elite promise, these academic programs could quickly marginalize the liberal arts and humanities.”

Maybe AI will crowd out DEI. That wouldn’t be bad.

Tripkovic adds this cautionary note: “The brief fascination with coding should serve as a case study for what might happen with AI degrees and jobs. The job market is still evolving, and no one can say with certainty what it will look like five years from now.”