The AI Race at North Carolina Universities

Earlier this year, UNC Charlotte announced plans to launch a new major in artificial intelligence beginning next academic year. In its proposal to the UNC System, university leaders emphasized the importance of the program, framing it as a response to growing demand in the job market.

If approved, the major would be one of only a few programs in the world devoted exclusively to artificial intelligence—not just in North Carolina or the United States but globally. Universities everywhere are entering this competition, driven by the prestige and relevance that come with pioneering new programs, as well as the promise of increased funding.

UNC Charlotte is simply the latest institution to join the AI race. There is little doubt that the gold rush has reached higher education. Artificial intelligence may indeed revolutionize universities in the near future—but the question remains: Is this trend sustainable, or is it just another academic fad?

North Carolina has quickly emerged as a hub for artificial intelligence in higher education. The Push for AI in North Carolina Higher Ed

North Carolina has quickly emerged as a hub for artificial intelligence in higher education. In addition to UNC Charlotte, NC A&T has received approval to launch a bachelor’s degree in artificial intelligence. NC State University is another institution in the system now offering a similar program.

All major universities in North Carolina have either launched AI research centers and programs or expressed interest in doing so. While UNC-Chapel Hill does not yet offer a standalone program in artificial intelligence, students have access to numerous AI-related courses. Duke University and Wake Forest University have gone a step further, establishing graduate programs in AI product innovation that blend technical training with leadership and ethical frameworks.

In addition to new degree programs, AI research centers have sprung up across North Carolina universities like mushrooms after the rain. Among them are the Center for Artificial Intelligence Research at Wake Forest, the Gillings Center for Artificial Intelligence and Public Health at UNC-Chapel Hill, and the Data Science and AI Academy at NC State, to name just a few.

All major universities in North Carolina have either launched AI research centers and degree programs or expressed interest in doing so. This statewide push reflects an economic strategy that emphasizes technological growth, with policymakers framing AI as a cornerstone of future workforce development.

Major companies with a presence in the state—such as Apple, which is planning a new campus in the Research Triangle—are eager to partner with universities to cultivate AI talent and skills. This creates a sense of urgency, leaving many university administrators anxious about missing out and being left behind.

The Benefits of AI Program Expansion

If the self-proclaimed high priests and promoters of AI are to be believed, the benefits of expanding AI programs are limitless.

By establishing formal AI academic programs, colleges and universities in North Carolina aim to meet the state’s future workforce needs. Agriculture, defense, technology, and healthcare sectors stand to benefit significantly from an increase in AI-trained graduates and skilled young professionals—assuming, that is, that the artificial-intelligence hype is accurate.

On the academic side, the expansion of AI programs is expected to attract new funding—primarily from private and out-of-state sources—along with research grants and high-profile faculty.

AI is the new frontier—an uncharted academic territory waiting to be explored. It opens numerous interdisciplinary opportunities for students to pursue research that combines artificial intelligence with fields such as business, ethics, and medicine, among others.

AI programs, university research centers, and a growing pool of highly trained graduates are positioning the Tar Heel State as a national hub for innovation. North Carolina has already branded itself as the Silicon Valley of the East Coast for biotech and fintech, and the expansion of AI programs may soon justify that nickname in yet another field.

By introducing AI academic programs, North Carolina’s colleges and universities are benefiting not only students and scholars but also the state’s economy. These programs serve as powerful recruitment incentives for major high-tech companies considering relocation or expansion in the region.

The rapid expansion of AI initiatives is likely to have a negative impact on teaching quality and academic standards. AI and Academic Rigor: Not So Fast

While North Carolina universities establishing AI programs and research centers rank among the best in the nation, the rapid expansion of these initiatives is likely to have a negative impact on teaching quality and academic standards.

Many of these programs were created in little more than a year, raising the risk of cafeteria-style, watered-down curricula. And if artificial intelligence is truly the future, as the tech elite promise, these academic programs could quickly marginalize the liberal arts and humanities.

If artificial intelligence is truly the future, these academic programs could quickly marginalize the liberal arts and humanities. Another risk lies in the likelihood that colleges and universities will enroll more students in AI programs faster than anticipated, potentially lowering academic standards.

In the rush to launch AI degree programs, it is fair to wonder if university administrators have taken shortcuts. It would not be surprising if they failed to ask a critical question: Will enrolled students learn how to think or merely how to engineer (or prompt) AI machines?

To maintain the academic rigor of newly established AI programs, university administrators and faculty must decide what truly benefits students in the long run: broad AI literacy and communication skills or narrow career specialization in AI engineering or use.

The AI Degree Hype: Is It Worth It?

Artificial intelligence has already become an inseparable part of the job search and hiring process. Recruiting agencies now use AI tools to pre-screen candidates, while jobseekers turn to platforms such as ChatGPT to craft résumés and generate cover letters.

Advertisements for remote AI jobs are everywhere, promising flexible hours and high pay. The hype around AI jobs and degrees is real—but is it worth it or just another passing fad?

Just a few years ago, coding was hailed as the future and touted as the solution to nearly every personal and social problem. Lost your job? Learn to code. Struggling with addiction? Coding will fix it. Your marriage fell apart? No problem—just learn to code.

This kind of thinking reached absurd proportions. During the 2019 primaries, presidential candidate Joe Biden even urged coal miners to “learn to code.” That advice, needless to say, has not aged well.

Six years after President Biden’s remark, AI is already beginning to replace low- to mid-level, repetitive coding tasks. Within just a few years, it is possible that AI software could displace a significant share of human developers.

The brief fascination with coding should serve as a case study for what might happen with AI degrees and jobs. The job market is still evolving, and no one can say with certainty what it will look like five years from now.

The AI hype carries the risk of oversupply, as well, with too many college graduates chasing too few “AI specialist” roles.

The Murky Future of AI Programs 

Economists have described the AI boom as the next bubble, noting that investor enthusiasm has far outpaced the technology’s near-term productivity benefits.

Silicon Valley’s tech elite are engaged in a very public contest to predict when artificial general intelligence will arrive. Estimates range from as soon as next year to several decades from now, while some scientists remain skeptical that it will ever be achieved.

Colleges and universities that create AI programs and research centers will suffer if the bubble bursts. The Atlantic warned us that, “if the AI bubble bursts, it could put the dot-com crash to shame—and the tech giants and their Silicon Valley backers won’t be the only ones who suffer.”

Colleges and universities that create AI programs and research centers will also suffer if the bubble bursts. Given the high costs of maintaining facilities, faculty, and partnerships, higher-education institutions have made themselves especially vulnerable to shifting tech trends. What happens if the AI hype fades over the next five to 10 years?

Larger universities hold the upper hand in the AI race, taking on greater risks in the hope of securing greater rewards. Smaller colleges, however, may struggle to keep pace—potentially leading some to shut down altogether.

The uncertain future of AI programs raises an important question for North Carolina policymakers: Is the Tar Heel State investing in sustainable education, or is it simply chasing the latest fad?

Jovan Tripkovic is communications manager at the James G. Martin Center for Academic Renewal.