The University of Pennsylvania School has introduced a Master’s Degree in Artificial Intelligence, becoming the first Ivy League school to offer the program.

The Raj and Neera Singh Program in Artificial Intelligence Master of Science in Engineering in AI Online will empower students with both the practical skills and the ethical foundations to lead AI into the future. 

Building on the expertise of the school’s world-class faculty, the program will equip students with the mathematical and algorithmic foundation to develop groundbreaking AI systems and a broad perspective on deploying new technologies ethically and responsibly. 

As an agent for disruptive innovation, artificial intelligence is revolutionizing nearly every field and transforming how humans interact with technology and do their jobs. In this rapidly evolving landscape, the demand for master’s-trained AI engineers with a deep understanding of AI technologies—and their risks and rewards—is skyrocketing, making the program a gateway to promising career opportunities. 

Positioning Talents For The Future of Technology

The MSE in Artificial Intelligence curriculum will offer advanced coursework in natural language processing, machine learning, deep learning, statistics, and related topics. 

Faculty experts with extensive experience in GPU-accelerated computing will provide students with leading-edge courses, invaluable insights, and practical knowledge on harnessing the power of GPUs for AI applications. 

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Additionally, an in-depth course in AI ethics, a focal point of the program, will provide students with the tools they need to make responsible decisions that benefit society as a whole. 

“The emergence of rapidly evolving AI technologies like generative AI is creating both opportunities and challenges for humanity,” says Vijay Kumar, Nemirovsky Family Dean of Penn Engineering. 

“Our new master’s program meets a critical need for AI engineers with advanced degrees who can harness the power of these transformative technologies in positive and beneficial ways.”

More About Penn’s Master’s Degree in AI 

Earlier this year, the University of Pennsylvania introduced its AI undergraduate degree, making it the first of its kind among Ivy League universities. 

The new program was named after Raj and Neera Singh, who co-founded the private investment firm Telcom Ventures and provided initial funding to support leadership, faculty, and infrastructure for the new degree program.

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Chris Callison-Burch, an Associate Professor of Computer and Information Science at Penn Engineering and a prominent expert in AI, will lead the MSE program. 

“AI is one of the most important areas in technology today. It’s generating an incredible amount of enthusiasm and a massive amount of investment,” says Callison-Burch. “With this program, our goal is to educate a new generation of engineers who have the skills to analyze trends as they emerge — not only from the technological perspective but also from the societal and ethical perspective.”

The online MSE in AI at Penn Engineering has been designed to make an Ivy League education accessible to motivated students worldwide. The program offers courses through an asynchronous model that allows students to learn on their own time and at their own pace. 

Course modules are recorded in a state-of-the-art professional studio and tailored specifically for an online audience of busy professionals in multiple time zones, expanding the program’s reach to an audience of global student learners.

Artificial intelligence (AI) has evolved fast in recent years, becoming a key disruptive force across various industries. This boom in AI use can be due to a combination of technology breakthroughs, increasing data availability, and increased awareness of its potential.

The World Economic Forum (WEF) predicts that by 2025, more than half of all present workplace functions will be automated. This rapid evolution of machines and algorithms in the workplace may result in the creation of 133 million new jobs to replace the 75 million displaced between now and 2022.

The first cohort of students in the MSE in Artificial Intelligence program will start classes in spring 2025, with applications opening on June 3, 2024. Applicants will need an undergraduate degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or an equivalent degree to ensure that they are adequately prepared for the rigor and depth of study required to excel in this program.