The University of Idaho will offer three degree programs in artificial intelligence this fall.
And it means Idaho’s three four-year universities will all offer AI degrees in 2026-27.
Touting their programs in a news release Thursday, U of I officials say they are building on curriculum that far predates the current AI boom.
“The new degrees build on nearly 40 years of concepts and technology that have evolved into AI,” the U of I said in its news release. “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 programs — a bachelor’s degree, master of science or master of engineering in artificial intelligence — will be available at the U of I’s Moscow and Coeur d’Alene sites. The master’s programs will also be available fully online.
“The master’s degree is more targeted to professionals in the field,” said Steve Wang, a professor and computer science department chair, who helped shape the curriculum. “There is real demand for retraining employees with skills in AI design.”
In Thursday’s news release, and a Friday letter to the campus community, the U of I pointed to the boom in the AI sector:
- There are now nearly 891,000 AI-related jobs across the nation, according to the U.S. Department of Education.
- The number of AI jobs in the U.S. is expected to increase by 17.3%. In the Mountain West, that projected job growth is 25.5%.
- Median earnings in the region are expected to exceed $144,000 per year.
As the demand for AI professionals grows, so do the state’s AI offerings.
Boise State University launched a bachelor’s degree program in AI in 2025, the first in the state. Its School of Computing is offering a doctoral program with an AI emphasis.
Idaho State University’s bachelor’s program in AI launches this fall.
