How Colleges Are Racing to AI-Proof Their Curriculums as Tech Transforms Entry-Level Jobs

The AI Revolution in Higher Education

Mehmet Ergezer, who teaches computer and data science at Wentworth Institute of Technology in Boston while also working in the tech industry, has witnessed firsthand the growing pressure to adopt AI tools in professional settings.

"It is definitely used as a way to increase productivity for the existing engineers," he explained. "If there's something that maybe you could do in a few weeks, you can do it in a couple of days now with the use of AI. That means they can give you more tasks to do."

In the classroom, Ergezer noted that new technology has fundamentally changed his teaching approach. When chatbots first emerged, they couldn't handle his homework assignments.

"So I was like, 'Yay! It's smart, but not that smart,'" he recalled. "But that changed in months."

The Tsunami of AI Transformation

AI is transforming entire industries—from software development to construction management to architecture. Now, Ergezer and other professors are racing to keep pace as artificial intelligence disrupts the entry-level job market. Openings are shrinking in fields most exposed to automation, including software development, social media, and coding.

To prepare students for this new reality, colleges are completely rethinking what—and how—they teach. For institutions like Wentworth, eager to prove their value as more families question whether a college degree remains worthwhile, part of the solution is a new degree in applied artificial intelligence launching next fall.

"We recognize you're here to get a job," said Mike Farmer, chair of Wentworth's computer and data science department.

Farmer began noticing a significant shift last year when postings for entry-level tech jobs started dropping rapidly. Instead, employers increasingly seek candidates with experience developing chatbots and machine-learning systems.

Having written his first machine-learning algorithm in the 1980s, Farmer welcomes the industry's intensified focus on AI.

"I've been watching wave after wave, and now... it's more of a tsunami than a wave at this point."

Building the AI Surfboard

Wentworth hopes its new AI degree will serve as a surfboard to help students ride this technological tsunami by providing hands-on experience with diverse AI tools. The program will also emphasize ethics, teaching students when and how to use AI responsibly.

"Students really want to go into the workplace equipped," said professor Ella Howard, who developed a new course called "Responsible Uses of Generative AI" that will be part of the degree program. "They really want to know the tools and be able to compete for positions in those fields."

Ayden Palmer is a senior at Wentworth who chose to major in computer science because he thought it would lead to a lucrative career. Now he is hedging his bets, learning more about AI. "If you can get a job designing the AI, then you know at least you're future-proofed for a little bit," he said.

A National Movement

Wentworth isn't alone in this educational transformation. At Miami University, business professors are "future-proofing" their curriculum, arguing that tomorrow's leaders will need both human judgment and technological fluency. Indiana University now offers a free AI course to all students, faculty, and staff, and has launched a new Virtual Department of Business Technologies to encourage cross-disciplinary innovation. Brown University recently appointed its first associate provost for artificial intelligence to provide leadership for AI initiatives across the university.

The Enduring Value of Education

While many Americans question the value of college degrees in this AI-driven era, research from Georgetown University's Center on Education and the Workforce confirms that a bachelor's degree still leads to higher earnings and greater job stability than a high school diploma.

However, choice of major matters significantly. The study shows college majors can change lifetime earnings by more than $1 million. STEM, business, and healthcare fields yield the highest returns, while arts, education, and social work lag behind.

Student Perspectives on the Ground

On Wentworth's Boston campus, students like Ayden Palmer are directly confronting AI's impact on their education and career prospects.

Palmer, a senior from Boston, admitted he tries to avoid over-reliance on chatbots, though he finds it tempting under deadline pressure.

"I think it's a shortcut to learning," he observed. "You're not learning the foundational skills that you need to become a good programmer."

When Palmer chose computer science four years ago, tech jobs were booming. Now, he's strategically learning as much as possible about AI.

"If you can get a job designing the AI, then you know at least you're future-proofed for a little bit," he said with a chuckle. "If you can't beat 'em, join 'em."