This semester, Rice is embracing artificial intelligence in more ways than one. The Department of Computer Science launched a new bachelor’s degree in AI this semester, and the university has been promoting itself with AI-generated content around campus and on social media.
Rice is also giving students free access to Google Gemini, an AI assistant that can summarize papers, generate responses and support writing, as well as as Google’s NotebookLM, which allows users to use AI work across their own documents and transcripts.
With the launch of the AI major, Rice joins a small group of elite universities — including Carnegie Mellon, the University of Pennsylvania and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology — that offer dedicated AI programs.
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Looks like the Rice AI major is mostly a specialized CS major where the upper level CS courses are mainly AI focused, although one course in AI ethics and one course in cognitive psychology are required.
Would it be better to major in CS with AI upper level CS electives in order to avoid over specialized signaling to employers (like with other specialized variants of majors like computer game design)?
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No, not in the current employment market; better to have an AI major.
UCSD started AI major last year. It’s been a popular addition and moves UCSD to first choice for some students I’ve talked to.
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But the employment market in two to four years may be different. Also, AI majors are few in number; employers will find that most new graduates seeking those entry level AI jobs will have CS majors with AI electives.
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