The University at Buffalo (UB), which is part of the State University of New York system, said on Aug. 14 that it is launching seven new AI-integrated bachelor’s degree programs.
The new degree programs, UB said, make it the first U.S. university to embed artificial intelligence directly into traditional academic disciplines.
The new programs are kicking off this fall following their approval by the New York State Education Department.
The new degrees are part of UB’s “AI + X” model, which combines AI with fields such as economics, geography, communication, and language.
The university will also offer two new minors focused on AI ethics and AI’s intersection with crime and society. All programs are supported by $5 million in state funding for UB’s newly created Department of AI and Society (AIS).
The seven degree programs are being housed in their respective departments but will include both newly developed and existing courses from those disciplines, along with coursework from the AIS department.
Students will explore how to apply AI tools within their chosen field while gaining a deeper understanding of the societal and ethical implications of artificial intelligence.
“This is not just about infusing AI into other disciplines. As much as AI can benefit the arts, humanities and social sciences, AI desperately needs the arts, humanities and social sciences as well,” said Atri Rudra, PhD, the Katherine Johnson Chair in Artificial Intelligence and professor in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering, who will serve as the inaugural chair of the AIS department.
“We recognize that AI systems cannot benefit society without an AI workforce that understands society,” Rudra said.
The degree offerings include AI and geospatial analysis, AI and language and intercultural competence, AI and language technology, AI and logic and ontology, AI and policy analysis, AI and quantitative economics, and AI and responsible communication.
All programs are expected to enroll more than 300 students by their fifth year.
UB developed the degrees during the spring 2025 semester through a cross-disciplinary faculty curriculum committee. University officials say they modeled the initiative on the “CS + X” programs found at other institutions, but that this is believed to be the first “AI + X” degree suite offered anywhere in the U.S.
“These degree programs are just the beginning, as we are already in the process of developing proposals for AI-focused degrees in other areas,” said Jeff Good, PhD, professor in the Department of Linguistics and associate chair of the AIS department. “We look forward to bringing more departments and academic units into the fold to offer these truly interdisciplinary degree programs.”
