Earlier this month, Bowling Green State University announced the creation of a new major: .
It鈥檚 not the first university in Ohio to offer courses on artificial intelligence: many colleges, including Ohio University, have AI majors, usually housed in their computer science departments.
But Bowling Green鈥檚 program is slightly different, combining courses on AI with specific fields like history, journalism, physics and mathematics.
The school will begin offering the artificial intelligence degree next fall, pending approval from the Ohio Department of Higher Education.
Jake Lee, a professor and chair of the Department of Computer Science at BGSU, joined the Ohio Newsroom to talk more about what the degree will entail.
This interview has been lightly edited for brevity and clarity.
On Bowling Green鈥檚 new AI + X major
鈥淲hereas most of the AI programs focus on the creation of AI, we believe that students can employ the technologies available through AI in a domain specific application. The core idea of this AI + X degree program is not really just heavily focusing on the technology side of AI. Students can actually apply their knowledge into another secondary disciplinary focus.鈥�
On the importance of teaching AI in combination with the humanities
鈥淚 have heard a lot of interest from journalists or historians wanting to use AI in their work environment. For example, say history majors tracing urban changes 鈥� if they have historical photographs of Bowling Green downtown from 1900 to 2000, then they can actually use AI techniques to analyze how those series of historical photographs are used to identify architectures or transportation. The AI model can actually detect and classify features, and then they will actually return the result to the user, to the students, so that they can actually understand the history better.鈥�
On teaching about the inaccuracies of artificial intelligence
鈥淭hat's where this AI + X is unique and invaluable, because if it's just a use of AI, it's difficult to understand whether this is a fake or not. However, if [students] understand the core of how the AI technology algorithm works, they will actually understand how to use the output of the AI in their decision making. So when they understand how it actually works, how the system was created, they can actually make a better decision on those aspects.鈥�
On teaching AI despite its controversies
鈥淲e are in the transition mode. AI is relatively new for some people, but they actually need to know how to incorporate this use of AI into their curriculum. Many of the courses that are required for this AI + X [major] already are changing into that pathway where the curriculum really heavily involves use of the AI in a more responsible way.鈥�
