Artificial intelligence represents the next frontier in digital technology. AI has already transformed the workforce and our personal lives, ushering in unprecedented productivity and exciting innovations.
With these developments come new expectations among employers, especially in tech-driven fields. Many now require professionals to explore or actively embrace AI technologies. There is a definite learning curve, but this can be addressed by pursuing an artificial intelligence bachelor’s degree. Keep reading to discover, is a computer science degree worth it with AI?
AI’s Integration Into Everyday Life and the Workforce
AI may still feel groundbreaking, but chances are, it is already deeply embedded into your lifestyle and your career. Understanding its influence may be the first step to actively pursuing new opportunities to make the most of cutting-edge technologies.
AI in Everyday Life
Even if you have yet to fully embrace the concept of AI, you almost certainly are impacted by it on a daily basis. The Pew Research Center highlights several examples of everyday activities influenced by AI, including music playlist recommendations, sleep pattern detection via wearable devices, and even security alerts from smart doorbells. Add social media, meal delivery services, and streaming platforms, and it is easy to see how your daily life is shaped or even improved by AI.
AI in the Workforce
AI serves many functions in the contemporary workforce, but its two main contributions involve efficiency and informed decision-making. This technology has taken automation to a whole new level, moving beyond simple, repetitive tasks to allow systems to adapt based on collected data (as in machine learning). This has huge implications across fields, allowing employees to focus on higher-level problem-solving rather than dedicating so much time to rote or mundane tasks.
Applied to decision-making, AI introduces human employees to relevant insights or perspectives, analyzing high volumes of data from numerous sources to extract trends or patterns. This drives predictive and prescriptive analytics and, if AI systems are properly trained, can also limit the potential for human bias in decision-making initiatives.
How an AI Degree Prepares You for a Multi-Industry Career
In today’s quickly evolving job market, adaptability and versatility are crucial qualities. The professional opportunities you pursue today may not be as readily available in five or ten years, but if you have an adaptable skill set (and the ability to continue learning and growing), you should have no trouble adjusting to the realities of the future job market.
AI can help you adapt, and while the technology will evolve, understanding its core theories — and those of computer science — will make it easier to keep up.
Build a Versatile Skill Set
AI is an inherently diverse and complex area of study, with emerging opportunities adding further nuance to this field. The most successful professionals develop a strong foundation in computer science, emphasizing these essentials:
- Programming and Algorithms. As the building blocks of advanced computing, programming languages and advanced algorithms determine how AI models are developed and deployed and what they can ultimately accomplish. Programming languages such as Java and C++ are imperative, but concepts such as abstract data types are also worth exploring, offering a solid foundation for manipulating complex data structures.
- Data Science and Big Data. AI is just one piece of a complex data science landscape encompassing data engineering, visualization, and many other competencies. A well-rounded data-driven skill set can help AI professionals make the most of advanced technologies while unlocking opportunities across industries.
- Machine Learning and Neural Networks. AI is only the beginning. Several branches of AI technology promise to break boundaries, allowing systems to learn from data and unleash even greater opportunities. Machine learning, for example, mimics human learning without the explicit need for human intervention. Neural networks take this to a whole new level, drawing on multiple layers to process information.
Core Skills for Industry Needs
In addition to honing technical skills, the AI-focused leaders of tomorrow can expect to draw heavily on soft skills, which ensure that the insights gained through AI are properly used and conveyed.
- Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving. Valued across many fields, critical thinking and problem-solving are at the heart of computer science and AI. After all, AI is largely used as a decision-making tool, capable of gathering and analyzing a wealth of data to drive informed decisions. To make sense of this data, professionals must develop critical thinking abilities, along with the ability to evaluate complex problems from several angles.
- Ethics. The exciting potential of AI is accompanied by many significant ethical concerns, including issues surrounding data privacy, intellectual property, and decision-making transparency. Furthermore, research indicates that AI systems can amplify existing biases, leading to incorrect takeaways or even discrimination. The many professionals who work with AI will need to navigate these concerns, developing safeguards or strategies to address this technology’s ethical implications while still ensuring its core benefits can be unleashed.
- Cross-Disciplinary Communication. AI professionals may need to work closely with individuals in other roles or sectors, and at times, this may involve explaining complex technologies to those with limited technical understanding. Thus, well-developed written and verbal communication skills are needed, along with the ability to adjust tone or language based on others’ needs or knowledge.
Real-World Applications Through AI Coursework
AI-focused coursework strives for a practical blend of technical competencies and skills. To actively apply theoretical concepts, it draws heavily on case studies, group projects, and other problem-solving experiences. Real-world work experiences (such as internships) expand on this effort while encouraging tomorrow’s AI leaders to develop diverse and inspiring professional networks.
AI’s Impact Across Key Industries
A computer science artificial intelligence degree can open the door to an exciting array of professional opportunities, including tech-driven roles spanning many fields and specialties. Below, we have highlighted how this technology shapes several important industries:
Healthcare
In an effort to improve patient flow and health outcomes while also cutting costs, many healthcare providers have implemented AI-driven solutions. These can be integrated with electronic medical record (EMR) systems to analyze vast amounts of patient data. This, in turn, can influence the following areas:
- Diagnostics. Capable of analyzing MRIs, CT scans, and other diagnostic essentials, AI can help clinical professionals quickly and accurately identify a wide range of diseases and conditions. AI systems may also draw on data such as bio-signals, vital signs, or lab results to help diagnose illnesses or even predict disease progression.
- Drug Discovery. Revealing patterns in clinical and genetic data, AI systems promote efficient target identification and can also highlight how existing drugs might be repurposed. AI offers a valuable way to address one of the most persistent problems in drug discovery, which is the struggle to handle diverse and ever-growing data sets. By expediting this process, AI-driven solutions can accelerate drug discovery timelines and, hopefully, bring about transformative or even life-saving opportunities.
- Treatment Plans. By integrating genetic information, medical history, and even lifestyle considerations, AI systems can provide personalized treatment plans based on each patient’s unique needs and preferences. This can improve patient engagement and adherence, as patients are more likely to abide by recommendations that feel tailored to their unique circumstances.
Finance
The finance sector is notoriously reliant on risk management, but predicting and mitigating risks can be challenging. AI promises to help, using advanced algorithms to spot anomalies and bring a more efficient approach to identifying threats and navigating market uncertainties. This can also influence trading strategies and may fuel opportunities to optimize portfolios and drive profitability.
- Fraud Detection. AI solutions can detect real-time banking transaction anomalies, going beyond rules-based solutions to more effectively pinpoint issues via cutting-edge predictive models. For example, Mastercard’s Decision Intelligence (DI) can scan over one trillion data points to determine whether transactions are likely genuine. AI-driven fraud detection also could have huge implications for government agencies. Promising insights from the US Department of the Treasury reveal that, in fiscal year 2024, a data-driven approach to fraud detection (drawing heavily on AI and ML) helped to recover over $4 billion in “fraud and improper payments.”
- Algorithmic Trading. Today’s advanced algorithms are capable of placing trades that would be impossible for humans to match on their own. This reduces both transaction costs and the risk of human error. Machine learning models have entered this practice in a big way, drawing on alternative data (such as sentiment analysis) to deliver enhanced market predictions.
- Customer Support. Banking consumers have long complained of poor customer support. This is not only damaging to customer satisfaction, but also can be financially harmful if customers fail to receive the guidance and support they need. AI-driven chatbots can address this, limiting the need to wait for traditional customer service representatives and instead offering immediate responses to common questions.
Retail and E-Commerce
AI-driven retail and e-commerce solutions can shape marketing, customer service, and inventory management by offering innovative ways to appeal to today’s demanding customers. Major implications involve the following:
- Recommendation Engines. Consumers enjoy learning about new products, especially when they are presented based on unique interests and preferences. AI-driven recommendations can draw on past purchasing behavior and other details to predict what customers might be interested in buying in the future. These recommendations can increase purchase amounts and may also boost customer satisfaction.
- Dynamic Pricing. Many retailers now adjust prices to reflect fluctuations in supply and demand. Dynamic pricing uses AI to analyze real-time data, such as consumer behavior and competitor offers, to set prices that maximize profit while keeping customers satisfied.
Transportation
In the face of safety concerns, efficiency pursuits, and supply chain challenges, the transportation sector is beginning to integrate an AI-driven approach, using advanced solutions to promote exciting innovations:
- Route Optimization. Using traffic patterns and geographic information, route optimization strategies can determine the most efficient routes. This, in turn, can reduce travel time and fuel consumption. This could have huge implications for ridesharing services, public transit, and beyond.
- Predictive Maintenance. Data analytics can help reveal the current and expected condition of vehicle components, including early signs of wear and tear. This, in turn, shapes maintenance and may help boost longevity. Based on usage patterns and operational schedules, optimal timing for maintenance services can be recommended.
- Autonomous Vehicles. While the path to unveiling autonomous vehicles has proven slower and more difficult than originally anticipated, huge breakthroughs are beginning to take place, largely driven by AI and ML. Some of these developments integrate previously discussed opportunities surrounding route optimization and predictive maintenance, with vehicles also using technologies such as natural language processing for voice commands and even computer vision for object detection.
Education
In the last few decades, access to educational opportunities has expanded greatly, with online learning platforms ensuring that students can take classes and use diverse study materials regardless of their schedule or geographic location. AI further elevates these opportunities by providing a personalized element in which learning experiences are tailored to address students’ unique strengths and weaknesses.
Data-driven solutions can gather insights into student performance and learning habits, using these takeaways to create impactful learning experiences. AI tutoring can expand upon these possibilities, offering individual support to help students understand complex concepts or even adjust their study strategies.
Why a Degree in AI Will Continue to Grow in Value Over Time
So, is a computer science degree worth it with AI? This degree has much to offer, including the potential to prepare for a promising job market and diverse career opportunities. In addition to delivering immediate advantages, a degree in artificial intelligence could drive powerful benefits in years to come:
Emerging Trends in AI
An AI degree provides exposure to some of the field’s most exciting and influential trends, revealed through case studies or even actively explored during internships. Although clearly innovative, these trends draw on foundational concepts thoroughly explored while earning a degree in artificial intelligence. Examples include:
- Generative AI. As a headline-hitting subset of AI, generative solutions make it possible to create new content, including text or audio. Experts at McKinsey & Company suggest that this could drive exciting economic possibilities, potentially “unleash[ing] the next wave of productivity.”
- Quantum. A new era of quantum computing is upon us. Drawing on quantum mechanics to bring an impressive degree of efficiency to the technological landscape will drive further improvements in AI and ML, accelerating models currently held back by the comparatively limited scope of classic computing.
Longevity of an AI Degree
Because AI is expected to dominate the technological landscape, an artificial intelligence bachelor’s degree will remain highly relevant far into the future. This degree is not merely valuable as a form of resume enhancement. It also promotes an adaptable side to skill development, helping ambitious individuals learn to rapidly adjust to new technologies and use these to pursue new opportunities. While specific advancements are difficult to predict, PwC anticipates a widespread effort to make “AI intrinsic to the organization.”
Global AI Investments
AI represents a global movement, as evidenced by groundbreaking developments such as Chinese leader DeepSeek and the groundbreaking DeepMind, which began in the UK but was eventually acquired by Google. These far-reaching initiatives can lead to a myriad of exciting opportunities for ambitious AI professionals, including the chance to collaborate with industry leaders from across the globe. Meanwhile, additional global efforts aim to bring greater oversight to guide the ethical use of these advanced technologies.
The Career Value of an AI Degree
Because AI is so influential globally and across a wide range of fields, an AI degree is similarly versatile, offering the chance to put today’s most valued technical skills into action and leverage these abilities to drive change. An AI degree can provide a competitive edge in a quickly changing workforce, offering both an immediate resume boost and the opportunity for professional future-proofing.
Diverse Career Paths
We have already touched on the range of industries that actively seek out AI experts, but this is only the beginning. Additional career paths reveal how AI is unleashed across these many sectors. For example, machine learning engineers have the chance to shape the algorithms that drive predictive analytics, while robotics opportunities use AI to drive dramatic efficiency gains in manufacturing and beyond.
Interdisciplinary Opportunities
Many of the fields highlighted above provide interdisciplinary opportunities, which may involve drawing on diverse skill sets while integrating AI competencies. For instance, marketing (and especially marketing management) shows strong appeal across sectors and may use data-driven insights to shape powerful connections with patients, retail consumers, and everyone in between.
Many interdisciplinary opportunities relate to sustainability, using AI to pinpoint inefficiencies while also revealing which strategies can best address these concerns. Interdisciplinary efforts may also relate to accessibility, with AI helping diverse users interact with a broader range of assistive technologies.
Entrepreneurship in AI
As an inherently innovative field, AI welcomes contributions from forward-thinking individuals, with many using this technology as an opportunity to pursue their entrepreneurial ambitions. AI-powered startups, for example, draw on industry expertise to apply innovative solutions to address complex problems in fields such as healthcare or finance.
Consulting opportunities are also abundant. They provide greater autonomy while allowing consultants to share their expertise with small business owners or even nonprofit directors, revealing how AI can be applied in areas of need.
Growth Potential
Across the contemporary workforce, there is a strong demand for professionals who not only understand the wealth of possibilities within the AI landscape, but also know how to unleash the best of AI to solve various industry problems. This demand is certainly not limited to technical roles. Increasingly, AI abilities are viewed as desirable in fields that traditionally emphasize soft skills, such as HR, marketing, and sales, to name a few.
Leadership Opportunities
AI skill gaps exist across all levels on the career ladder, influencing not only entry-level employees and senior-level experts, but also management professionals, who have the chance to shape how AI is integrated into overarching digital strategies. Examples of promising leadership roles include:
- Data Strategy Manager. Tasked with overseeing organizational approaches to managing and leveraging data, professionals known as data strategy managers ensure that data-driven solutions align with overarching business objectives.
- Chief AI Officer. Moving forward, there may be a central place for AI in the C-suite. The role of Chief AI Officer (CAIO) is beginning to gain traction, responsible for guiding AI strategy development along with implementation and innovation.
Networking in an AI Ecosystem
Networking continues to prove valuable, even as AI plays a greater role in HR functions such as recruitment and hiring. This increasingly involves AI-focused associations and events, such as the Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AAAI) or even the Conference on Neural Information Processing Systems. Additionally, aspiring AI professionals are encouraged to get involved in open-source projects, which provide many chances to interact with AI enthusiasts along with numerous portfolio development opportunities.
Unleash the Power of AI with a Degree in Computer Science at Baker
Are you excited to embrace AI as you pursue your dream career? Consider building AI competencies into your college experience. Baker’s College of Information Technology and Engineering (CoITE) can guide you every step of the way. Our diverse Bachelor of Science in Computer Science offers many concentrations, including an Artificial Intelligence option that can set you up for success in the AI-driven economy of tomorrow. Get in touch today to learn more.