U of I expands 40 years of AI and computing education with new degrees

MOSCOW, Idaho — University of Idaho is expanding its leadership in artificial intelligence education and research with three new degree programs designed to prepare students to build AI systems, solve industry challenges and meet growing workforce demand across Idaho and the Pacific Northwest.

Beginning in Fall 2026, students can pursue a bachelor’s degree, master’s of science or master’s of engineering in artificial intelligence. All three degree levels are available at the Moscow and Coeur d’Alene locations, and graduate programs are available fully online. Programs combine classroom instruction with hands-on research and industry partnerships that allow students to build the AI tools to solve real-world problems.  

“The U of I helped build the applied engineering, computational and interdisciplinary foundations that became important as AI matured into a real-world industrial technology,” U of I President C. Scott Green said. “Our students don’t just learn how to use AI, they learn how to build AI tools and systems, teach computers to understand and generate language on state-of-the-art AI infrastructure and apply AI in the real world.”  

According to the U.S. Department of Education, AI employment opportunities are expected to increase by 17.3% nationwide by 2034. In the Mountain West region, job growth is projected to be even stronger, with an anticipated increase of 25.5%. 

The new degrees build on nearly 40 years of concepts and technology that have evolved into AI. These concepts have been taught since 1986 when U of I introduced its first AI course, titled Artificial Intelligence, which included lessons on skills including inductive and deductive reasoning and natural language processing. The new AI degree programs add to U of I’s existing certificate programs in AI, machine learning, robotics automation and engineering. The university offers 14 AI courses covering machine learning, deep learning, natural language processing, data science, adversarial machine learning, and computer vision and optimization.  

Today, U of I is leading AI innovation in Idaho through research, workforce development and partnerships with industry and national organizations, and the university is preparing students to meet that demand through hands-on research and industry partnerships.  

For example, in U of I’s Center for Intelligent Industrial Robotics, doctoral student Hunter Hawkins and Professor John Shovic partnered with Amalgamated Sugar to develop an AI-powered predictive system that analyzes hundreds of data points associated with their steam dryer, helping prevent equipment failures, improve worker safety and maintain production efficiency. Their innovative AI model provides early warnings before problems occur, showcasing how U of I researchers apply advanced machine learning to complex industrial challenges. 

Researchers are beginning work to unlock the medical complexities of ALS using AI, in collaboration with Washington University School of Medicine through a Longitude Prize on ALS Discovery award.  

“U of I continues to shape the future of AI by preparing graduates to address complex industrial challenges and advance innovation through hands-on research, industry partnerships and nationally recognized AI initiatives,” said Steve Wang, professor and chair of the Department of Computer Science.

U of I is also the only institution in Idaho conducting AI research through the National Artificial Intelligence Research Resource (NAIRR) Pilot program. Operated through the National Science Foundation, NAIRR provides U.S. researchers and educators access to computational, data and training resources needed to advance AI research.  

Led by College of Engineering Professor Xiaogang “Marshall” Ma, the award is one of several allowing U of I researchers to advance Mindat, the world’s largest open data interface of mineral species and their distributions. Adding AI tools to Mindat will transform how mineral data is accessed, shared and utilized by the scientific community. The work supports U of I’s industry-backed workforce development to train professionals in geological and mining engineering.  

Other recent interdisciplinary AI achievements at U of I include:  

• AI as a university wide priority: U of I’s 2026-30 strategic plan incorporates artificial intelligence across every major area of the institution, from student learning and research to community engagement and operational excellence.
• Driving innovation in research operations: U of I earned national recognition from the Council on Research Advances in Research Enterprise Operations for its early adoption of AI to improve research administration and modernize university research support systems. U of I partnered on this $4.5 million National Science Foundation-supported effort, Artificial Intelligence for Research Administration (AI4RA), to improve research administration across higher education.
• Expanding student access to AI tools and training: As a participant in Google’s AI for Education Accelerator, U of I provides students with free access to AI technologies, workforce-focused training opportunities and Google Career Certificates designed to enhance career readiness.

Media contact

Alexiss Turner 
Marketing and Communications Strategist 
University of Idaho College of Engineering 
208-885-7511 
alexisst@uidaho.edu