UB's AI Master’s Program Witnesses Huge Enrollment Surge

Published Date::18/10/2024

The University at Buffalo's AI Master’s program has seen a significant increase in enrollment, attributed to growing public interest in AI and key investments in research and infrastructure.

For decades, the University at Buffalo (UB) has been at the forefront of providing students with cutting-edge education in artificial intelligence. From pioneering work in machine learning in the 1970s and pattern recognition in the 1990s to the development of large language models today, UB has consistently produced graduates with highly sought-after AI skills. Now, with AI becoming a major focus of public interest, more UB students are enrolling in AI programs than ever before.

One of the key drivers of this surge is the Master of Science in Engineering Science with a focus on AI, a program launched by UB nearly five years ago. In the spring of 2020, the program started with just five students. Fast forward to this fall, and the number has surged to 73 students, with an additional 50 expected to join in the next semester.

“The growth of our master’s program focusing on artificial intelligence has been nothing short of spectacular,” says Kemper E. Lewis, dean of the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, which oversees the program. “It shows that we’re providing students with in-demand skills that they can use for the betterment of society.”

Lewis attributes the rise in enrollment to a variety of factors, including the increased public interest in AI following the launch of ChatGPT by OpenAI in late 2022. Equally important, he notes, are the significant investments UB and its partners have made in growing the university’s expertise and infrastructure in AI research and education.

One such investment is the Advancing Top 25  Faculty Hiring initiative, which has added over 200 faculty members to UB’s AI research team. Another key factor is UB’s Institute for Artificial Intelligence and Data Science, which brings together the collective expertise of these faculty members. Additionally, UB is a founding member of Empire AI, a $400 million statewide research consortium established by Gov. Kathy Hochul and state lawmakers. Empire AI focuses on responsible AI research and education, with UB set to host the consortium’s supercomputing center.

“All of these factors have led to a tremendous amount of momentum and innovation in research and education programs focused on artificial intelligence at the University at Buffalo,” says Lewis.

The AI Master’s program, which typically takes 12-18 months to complete, offers students a comprehensive foundation in AI and its various subsets. Mingchen Gao, the program’s director and an associate professor of computer science and engineering, specializes in medical imaging informatics, computer vision, and machine learning. The program covers a wide range of topics, including machine learning, programming languages, deep learning algorithms, and advanced artificial neural networks.

Graduates of the program have secured positions at top companies such as Amazon Web Services, NVIDIA, Visa, Radical.AI, and Salesforce, as well as local firms like M&T Bank and CUBRC. The program is just one of many initiatives at UB that provide students with educational and research experience in AI. The Department of Computer Science and Engineering, along with other academic units, offers numerous opportunities for both undergraduate and graduate students to study AI.

Large federal research grants, such as the $20 million to establish the National AI Institute for Exceptional Education and the recently announced $10 million to create the Center for Early Literacy and Responsible AI, allow students to apply their knowledge to critical research projects. “It’s really an exciting time to be at UB, especially for our students engaged in learning about the incredible opportunities that AI presents for tackling society’s greatest challenges

FAQS:

"Q: When did UB launch its AI Master’s program?

A: UB launched its AI Master’s program, officially known as the Master of Science in Engineering Science with a focus in AI, nearly five years ago.

Q: How many students are currently enrolled in the AI Master’s program at UB?

A: This fall, the program has 73 students enrolled, with an additional 50 expected to join in the next semester.

Q: What are some key factors contributing to the surge in enrollment in the AI Master’s program?

A: The rise in enrollment is attributed to increased public interest in AI following the launch of ChatGPT, significant investments in AI research and infrastructure, and UB’s role in the Empire AI consortium.

Q: What kind of research and educational opportunities are available to students in the AI Master’s program?

A: Students in the AI Master’s program have access to a wide range of research opportunities through large federal grants, such as the National AI Institute for Exceptional Education and the Center for Early Literacy and Responsible AI.

Q: What are some of the subsets of AI covered in the Master’s program?

A: The program covers various subsets of AI, including machine learning, programming languages, deep learning algorithms, and advanced artificial neural networks.

More Topics :