BROOKINGS (9-3-26) — Starting this year, South Dakota State University offers degrees in AI Engineering.
Dennis Hedge is Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs… “We have a bachelor’s program, a master’s program and a PhD program — and I think just, if you think about that, we are addressing artificial intelligence in the engineering world from a workforce standpoint, from a creation of new knowledge standpoint, from a leadership standpoint when you span all three of those different degree program levels.”
He said through these programs, students will make a real-world impact on industry through AI… “Students will have capstone experiences — opportunities to do those direct applications, and they will be in historic strengths of South Dakota State University that are directly relevant to the state of South Dakota and the region in which we live. So think precision agriculture, think about the healthcare industry, think about all of these things that routinely are so critically important.”
Victor Taylor is Vice Provost for Graduate Education and Extended Studies. He said they want to teach students how to best incorporate AI at the earliest stages of engineering designs… “You don’t bolt a jet engine to a buggy, and I think that the AI Engineering programs — there will be some product development, I mean software will come out of it refined — but really where I’m excited about it is the application of AI technology across everything. I mean engineers solve problem everywhere. So our students in the undergrad program and the graduate program will be well-prepared to go into any environment and find good solutions using state-of-the-art technology, and right now it’s AI.”
The Board of Regents approved the new degree programs earlier this year saying this will prepare future engineers to responsibly participate in industries being reshaped by AI.
— Brookings Radio News
