The University of Guelph has launched a new Bachelor of Artificial Intelligence (BAI) program, preparing students to work with the technology while keeping people at the core of its development and use. The university said the new four-year degree, with a major in human-centred AI, is designed to teach students how to apply it ethically and responsibly. The program will focus on addressing real-world problems, with students working alongside industry partners and community organizations. “The program has been designed to basically teach students how to work with AI as a collaborator,” said Dan Gillis, a professor at the University of Guelph. Unlike a traditional computer science program, which is focused on developing AI systems, the new degree will emphasize applications across different fields while considering its potential effects on people. Students will take courses in ethics, communication and critical thinking, alongside technical AI studies. The curriculum will also draw on humanities and social sciences to help students understand how the technology can affect different communities. According to Judi McCuaig, an associate professor emerita who led the development of the program, it is intended for students who are curious and willing to challenge what they see. “The student that we want in this is a student who likes to think and likes to be creative and doesn’t just accept things at face value,” she said. Applicants do not need previous coding experience, though a background in the humanities could be an advantage. McCuaig said courses in women’s studies, Black studies and history will help students better understand how existing inequalities can be reflected or reinforced when AI is implemented. The university already offers computer science students the opportunity to specialize in AI, including a master’s-level specialization. The new degree, however, takes a different approach. “This one is more on how to apply AI in different fields, and how to make sure that it is helping human beings rather than taking controls away from human beings,” said Minglun Gong, director of the university’s School of Computer Science. Gillis hopes human creativity and collaboration will remain essential as the technology advances. “It’s not going to solve this problem on its own,” he said. “We need the creative human brain involved in this. We need students who are from different kinds of disciplines working together.” The university said the curriculum will evolve alongside AI technology, with students working on relevant projects as new tools emerge. The first cohort is expected to begin in fall 2027-28, pending formal approval of the program.
