As interest in artificial intelligence (AI) continues to grow across academic fields, colleges and universities nationwide are expanding opportunities for students outside traditional computer science programs to engage with AI coursework. This development comes amid a decline in enrollment in computer and information science degrees, even as institutions recognize the increasing demand from employers for graduates to possess AI-related skills.

At Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), psychology major Faith Maeba, who initially hesitated to study AI, has embraced an AI minor to enhance her prospects in graduate programs focused on workplace behavior affected by machine learning. “It’s giving me an edge and standing out,” Maeba remarked. VCU is among several institutions now introducing AI minors tailored to noncomputer science majors. The university is also accelerating course development, reducing traditional timelines from years to months or weeks, to keep pace with student and industry demands.

This trend reflects a broader movement in higher education to "democratize" AI literacy, according to Peter Stone, chair of computer science at the University of Texas at Austin. Stone emphasizes the importance of AI understanding as foundational as math or writing for all students, regardless of discipline. Institutions like Purdue University have enacted AI-related graduation requirements, while Harvard incorporates AI literacy into freshman writing courses, exploring topics such as large language models, copyright, and misinformation. Ohio State University similarly mandates AI fluency, including hands-on workshops.

At Northwestern University, computer science enrollment has recently decreased after years of rapid growth, a shift attributed partly to cooling job markets for software developers. Despite this, interest from students in other majors remains robust. Northwestern, which already offers a popular AI minor, is introducing a dedicated AI major and streamlining prerequisites to improve access for nonmajors. The school has also expanded offerings intersecting AI and the arts, such as a certificate program in music and artificial intelligence at the Bienen School of Music. Efforts to hire additional computer science faculty are underway to meet this demand.

Nationwide data from the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center indicates a more than 8% drop in computer and information science enrollment at four-year institutions from spring 2023 to spring 2024. Job postings for software developers have also declined. Nevertheless, interest in basic AI skills is rising among students in diverse fields, including music, where AI tools assist with tasks such as editing and generating drum tracks. At Eastern Mennonite University, a cross-disciplinary course pairs musicians and digital media students with peers in computer science and engineering to foster collaboration at the intersection of art and technology.

While these innovations are broadly welcomed, some experts voice concerns about overreliance on AI. Murtaza Ali, a doctoral candidate studying computer science education at the University of Washington, cautions that AI may obscure fundamental comprehension as users outsource complex tasks, such as coding, to AI systems without fully understanding their underlying processes.

Despite these challenges, the rapid evolution of AI curricula signals a significant shift in higher education’s approach to technology training. Paul LeBlanc, a visiting scholar at Harvard’s Graduate School of Education, notes that even institutions traditionally slow to change are adapting swiftly to AI’s impact. Community colleges, with more flexible course approval processes, have been particularly agile. Johnson County Community College in Kansas City, for example, recently piloted a non-credit class designed to teach software development to novices using AI tools.

Faculty members are also tasked with preparing students for a range of professional paths involving AI. At VCU, students like music composition major Althea Pappas engage with AI from philosophical perspectives, contemplating questions about the nature of life and consciousness. Biology major Makenzie Stovall, aiming for a career in neurology, is drawn to AI’s attempts to replicate brain functions, which remain among science’s greatest mysteries.

As AI’s role in society continues to expand, academic institutions are increasingly integrating AI education across disciplines, aiming to equip students with the skills and critical perspectives necessary for the evolving workplace and beyond.