The announcement said the two higher-ed institutions will develop a course called “Artificial Intelligence and Human Factors,” with different parts able to be completed at each university, to prepare tomorrow’s tech professionals for the rapid growth of the AI technology industry.
According to a report from the World Economic Forum cited in the news release, AI is on course to create a net total of 97 million new jobs by 2025, with demand for graduates with AI tech skills growing as the field advances to create computer systems that can perform tasks such as visual perception, speech recognition, decision-making and language translation.
“Coventry University always strives to be at the forefront of incorporating cutting-edge technology into the teaching it delivers and the research it carries out. This innovative course aims to provide students with a platform to obtain the appropriate skills and AI knowledge which is crucial given the current skills shortage and the growing importance and value of AI in different fields,” Reda Al Bodour, associate head of Coventry University’s School of Computing, Electronics and Mathematics, said in a public statement.
“We are both delighted and very excited in equal measure to be working with University of Cincinnati on this progressive master’s course, which will look to provide students with the exciting cultural opportunity to study in two countries, whilst gaining invaluable skills with guidance and training provided by experts in the field.”
According to the announcement, the program will give students theoretical knowledge and technical skills relating to AI technology in order to develop a deeper understanding of the influence AI can have on humans, as well as familiarizing students with advanced topics such as soft computing, neutral network systems and the security of emerging connected systems.
The Cincinnati-Coventry partnership joins a slew of AI-focused courses and programs established across higher education in recent years, such as a master's program in AI at Iowa State University, AI technology courses at the University at Albany and a certification program at Carnegie Mellon University that prepares public-sector professionals to work with and regulate AI, among several others.
Professor Paul Orkwis, interim head of aerospace engineering and engineering mechanics at the University of Cincinnati, said in a public statement that incorporating the human brain with modern computing will be the "next step in the intelligence revolution."
“This will mean better, faster decisions but with all the safeguards and higher-level decision-making skills inherent to humans,” Orkwis said. "We see the unparalleled excitement of the next unknown that this collaboration will bring as it bids to turbo-boost industries on both sides of the Atlantic."
