Central Piedmont Community College announced recently that it will soon offer a program centered on artificial intelligence.
According to a press release sent Tuesday, the college is set to start a new associate degree program in artificial technology later this year, in the fall semester.
Why it matters: The use of artificial intelligence is rapidly increasing in society. A 2023 report by Forbes found that more than 70% of the 600 companies surveyed already use or plan to use artificial intelligence in the future.
This means there could be more opportunities for roles that specialize in its use.
Degree in AI
The new program will “equip students with the foundational knowledge and practical skills necessary to excel in the rapidly growing field of AI,” the release said.
Its curriculum will include learning about chatbots and generative artificial intelligence (AI), like ChatGPT, programming chatbots, system design and analysis and applying AI across different fields.
People who complete the program will be well-positioned for entry-level AI roles, such as AI project manager, AI researcher, AI architect and machine learning specialist. These roles can be found across various industries, like banking and finance, manufacturing, engineering, healthcare and transportation, among others.
According to Coursera, through a study of information shared by Glassdoor, first-year AI engineers made an average of $100,324 in the United States; first-year AI researchers made around $89,000; and machine learning engineers made an average of just over $105,000 in their first year of employment.
The two-year program will admit up to 50 students to its inaugural class this fall and will continue to have space for the same number each term.
Once launched, the program will make Central Piedmont one of just two community colleges in the state to offer a degree program in artificial intelligence.
