Philip Reid pulls no punches when asked about the impact of Artificial Intelligence.

“AI will be that transformative technology that can catapult us to a different stratosphere when we talk about the modern workplace.” YC’s Computer Science Chair said. “It is something you should embrace. People looking to ‘future-proof’ their jobs should be looking at Artificial Intelligence as a way to do so.”

In that spirit, Yavapai College is embracing the study of Artificial Intelligence and all the possibilities it can offer students. This Fall, YC’s School of Computer Science – in partnership with Intel – is introducing an Artificial Intelligence course as part of an improved, two-year Associate of Arts & Sciences Degree synchronized with the needs of the modern workplace.

Understanding Artificial Intelligence, or CSA 250, is a three-credit course that uses Intel’s AI for Workforce platform to teach students the basic applications of AI, as well as the ethics, implicit biases, regulatory and professional expectations that surround the technology. “It will take students through the full gamut of what Artificial Intelligence is, how it is used in the workplace, and how students can apply it in their careers.” Reid said.

AI’s embedded ability to learn, process data and systemize tasks has made it a symbol of our increasingly computerized future. While some eagerly await its possibilities – and others fear technological overreach – Reid urges people to simply regard AI as a tool: “Think about the days when we didn’t have the calculator. Today, the calculator has become a staple in everything we do, right? You give your kids a calculator to do complex numbers. That’s what AI is going to be.”

CSA 250 is one component of a two-year, 60-credit A.A.S. degree program that prepares students for careers as software professionals by training them in the universe of Computer Systems Management. “They will learn things like the system development lifecycle, and programming in Python – which a lot of data scientists use,” Reid says. “The degree is centered around giving each student a realistic chance of obtaining a good job right out of the gate.”

Course work for Yavapai College’s Associate of Arts and Sciences Degree in Computer Systems and Applications continues in the Fall semester, which begins August 17. Enrollment for YC’s Fall semester is already underway. For more information, or to speak with an advisor, please call (928) 717-7777, or visit: www.yc.edu.