University of Houston-Downtown’s Master of Science in Artificial Intelligence (MSAI) program was recently named a “Top Pick for the Very Best Master’s and Graduate Certificate Programs in Artificial Intelligence” by AI Degree Guide. UHD was listed alongside some of the nation’s top tech and/or research universities, including Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Rochester Institute of Technology, Duke University, Carnegie Mellon University, and Johns Hopkins University.
TechGuide recently ranked UHD’s program No. 30 in the Best Master’s in Artificial Intelligence Programs for 2024.
That said, what does an Artificial Intelligence (AI) degree offer Black students? And what are the challenges posed by AI that need to be addressed for AI to serve as a positive tool for Blacks seeking an AI degree and the Black general public who use and are impacted by AI?
Is AI anti-Black?
According to Abdul Alkalimat, professor emeritus, Department of African American Studies and School of Information Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, those challenges are many in academia.
“AI reflects the way the world is structured, so it carries all the bad stuff with it – racism, patriarchy and classism,” said Alkalimat. “How should Black Studies deal with it? It is in all our classrooms right now. Our students are using ChatGPT. Do we fight it, and if so, how? Do we prepare our students to use it, and if so, how?”
New York University data journalist Meredith Broussard labels bias in AI the “civil rights issue of our time.”
Why?
Because, in modern society, artificial-intelligence systems increasingly govern and surveil people’s lives—algorithms now routinely make decisions about health care, housing, insurance, education, employment, banking, and policing—yet racial and gender biases are deeply embedded in many of these AI systems.
In fact, a growing body of research, including that done by Latanya Sweeney, computer scientist and Harvard professor in the practice of government and technology, has shown that AI facial recognition programs do not accurately see dark-skinned faces.
Columbia University professor Eli Joseph suggested AI perpetuates colorism, sharing that even when using filters to darken his images, his AI pictures come out lighter.
As a result, a growing body of scientists, scholars and members of the general public are concluding that AI is “anti-Black.”
Reasons why more Blacks should pursue AI degrees
These negatives, however, are viewed by some as even stronger reasons for Blacks to study and pursue AI degrees – to confront and dismantle any existing biases.
The Hurston/Wright Foundation recently hosted a virtual panel discussion titled “Securing the Black Voice in the World of AI.” This was a gathering a writers and creatives, discussing ways to make sure the “Black voice” remains strong in the AI space.
And panelists agreed that more Blacks need to gain all the AI expertise, training and credentials available.
And now is the perfect time. According to the Georgetown University Center for Security and Emerging Technology, AI-related degree awards, in particular, grew even faster than STEM degrees as a general category at bachelor’s master’s and PhD levels.
Government data and other sources on the higher education market describe the growth of AI degree conferrals as “dramatic,” increasing 120% since 2011 at both bachelor’s and master’s levels.
UHD’s MSAI program began fall 2022, and offers a local space for Black students open to mastering AI.
“Our MSAI is one of six graduate-level AI programs offered in Texas,” said Dr. Hong Lin, MSAI director and professor of Computer Science and Engineering Technology. “Our program came just at the right time when the entire world saw a growing demand for AI professionals.”
UHD’s MSAI program trains graduate students in specific skills for AI applications in the industrial, business, and educational sectors. Demand for AI-skilled employees is especially increasing in such areas as machine learning, game theory, and cybersecurity.
“Our program is poised to give students an advantage in AI careers by focusing on the skills that companies are seeking, including speech recognition, sign language recognition, and prediction in machine learning,” said Lin. “Our program trains students to apply AI algorithms and models to solve real-world problems, setting them up for success in their chosen career paths.”
For more information about UHD’s Master of Science in Artificial Intelligence, visit https://www.uhd.edu/academics/sciences/msai.aspx.
