The overall impact of artificial intelligence (AI) is overwhelmingly positive and highly promising. As the world changes and adjusts to this ever-evolving technology, post-secondary institutions have a crucial role in training students of all disciplines in the ethics and use of AI.

Along with the rapid development of today’s AI technologies, their applications are becoming increasingly integrated into people’s daily lives. These applications span a wide range of fields, including robotics in hotels and restaurants, voice and image recognition, medical diagnoses, transportation, finance, online shopping and home security.

The implementation of AI is based on statistics and data science but is relevant to all disciplines. It already is, or will be, used in all sectors. As such, when addressing the risks (and opportunities) of AI, a truly interdisciplinary lens is required.

At Trent University, our programs purposefully include aspects of multiple disciplines in our learning plans to expose students to new ways of thinking. This includes teaching students in various areas of study how to ethically use AI technologies.

Introducing a multidisciplinary approach to learning teaches students how to be complex problem solvers. When they face new problems, students learn to remain open-minded to the idea of working collaboratively with others outside of their field to develop multifaceted solutions.

With three post-secondary institutions based in Oshawa, including Trent University Durham GTA, the Region of Durham is ideally positioned to be a driver of innovation provincially, nationally, and internationally. The region has gained recognition as an important global hub for AI and technical research, education, and industry — recently highlighted when it was named one of the top seven global Intelligent Communities by the Intelligent Community Forum, a network that researches ways cities and regions use information and communications technology to build prosperous communities.

Nationally, nearly all universities and colleges are now offering a (growing) range of AI education options, including degrees, advanced diplomas, graduate certificates and micro-credentials.

Most programs integrate AI with various application areas, including engineering, data science, business, management, machine learning, software development, finance, health care, computer science, communications and ethics. Interdisciplinary courses in these programs provide valuable training opportunities for individuals of diverse backgrounds, age groups and work experiences, allowing them to apply AI technology to real-world problems.

Looking to the future, the value of AI in a multidisciplinary context is expanding and seemingly boundless. The technology’s capacity for decision-making enhances efficiency and drives advancements across diverse fields. For students to keep up with these changing times, post-secondaries will need to continue to incorporate AI education into all areas of study.

This article, penned by Associate Dean Dr. Wenying Feng, Trent University Durham GTA, originally appeared in Durham Metroland.