Author: Maxim Sorokopud | Reviewed By: Melissa Anderson | First covered: November 2023 / Reading level: Grade 10 | Update: 1
Key Takeaways:
- The ranking highlights colleges contributing significantly to the development of artificial intelligence through AI advancement initiatives.
- Colleges on the list have a strong, proven history in AI advancement, ongoing work in AI, and commitments to expanding AI capabilities.
- Notable schools include the University of Michigan and the Georgia Institute of Technology among others on the list.
Artificial intelligence has made great strides in recent years. The US Government Accountability Office states that by early 2023, over 100 million people had used generative AI systems. This technological revolution resulted from the hard work and innovation of many organizations. This includes a wide range of American colleges. The following ranking highlights colleges that contribute significantly to the development of artificial intelligence.
Featured Programs
This ranking assesses which colleges are conducting major work toward machine learning. However, it also considers past artificial intelligence work and investment into future initiatives. The highest-ranking colleges have met the following criteria:
- They have a strong, proven history of AI advancement.
- They are currently working on AI advancement.
- They are committing to expanding their AI advancement capabilities.
This ranking also considers efforts that support artificial intelligence in unconventional ways. Some colleges work on improving the human experience, ethics, and regulation of AI. These factors ensure that the colleges listed adopt a broad view of the potential of artificial intelligence.
Any of the colleges listed below would be a strong choice for a student who wants to work in AI. Most students who want to work in AI earn a computer science degree. However, it’s also possible that none of the colleges on this list are suitable for you. If that’s the case, this ranking can still be a vital tool in your college search. Each entry includes a summary of the AI work the college has achieved, is conducting, and is investing in. If any college you’re considering is working on artificial intelligence like the ones in this ranking, that’s a strong sign that it’s worth attending.
Methodology
The colleges in this ranking were identified using a number of sources that discuss colleges and artificial intelligence.
After identifying the top colleges, we researched which colleges had the best and broadest AI credentials. This research formed the final basis for inclusion.
Our ranking criteria are as follows:
- Evidence of gaining funding/investing in future artificial intelligence initiatives
- Evidence of significant present-day research into artificial intelligence
- Evidence of innovation in advancing artificial intelligence
- Evidence of historic artificial intelligence advancements
- Aggregated rankings in the methodology sources
Our ranking, from 30 to one, is as follows:
30. University of South Alabama
Mobile, Alabama
In 2022, the University of South Alabama was awarded a $6 million grant from the National Science Foundation. The school spent four years developing new AI algorithms, microchips, sensors, and devices. USA is leading this project and collaborating with experts at several other colleges. These include North Dakota State University and the University of Arkansas. This funding followed previous collaborative AI-focused grants. USA received a 2020 grant that aimed to advance weather forecasting with AI. This time, the college was awarded $780,000 and worked with the University of Louisiana and three other colleges. Niche considers the USA the fourth-best college for artificial intelligence degrees.
29. Oregon State University
Corvallis, Oregon
In 2025, OSU will open the $200 million, 150,000-square-foot Jen-Hsun and Lori Huang Collaborative Innovation Complex. It will house one of the country’s most powerful supercomputers. Here, AI education and research will be conducted alongside robotics and materials science. In late 2023, the college also gained $2 million. It will conduct artificial intelligence-based research into longer-lasting and more efficient electrical components. The college collaborates with Daimler Truck North America. Together, they create a zero-emission hydrogen-based truck using artificial intelligence. Computer Science Degree Hub considers OSU the fifth-best artificial intelligence college for students.
28. University of Florida
Gainesville, Florida
In 2020, UF announced that it had launched a $70 million AI partnership with NVIDIA. The company produces the technology that powers eight of the ten fastest supercomputers on Earth. This partnership gives students unprecedented access to artificial intelligence training and tools. In 2023, the college plans to construct the Center for Applied Artificial Intelligence. It requires an investment of $20 million to build a 34,000-square-foot facility. In 2023, the college opened the $150 million, 263,400 square-foot Malachowsky Hall for Data Science & Information Technology. It aims to transform the artificial intelligence workforce. UF also hosted the first AI4Health conference. This conference addressed how artificial intelligence can transform clinical practice and improve patient health. Forbes considers the University of Florida one of the best colleges for studying AI.
27. Duke University
Durham, North Carolina
In 2023, Duke Professor Ronald Parr was elected a fellow of the Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence. AAAI is the premier scientific society for evolving intelligent behavior in machines. This achievement was built on the success of Professor Cynthia Rudin. In 2021, she received a $1 million award for her work in pioneering socially responsible AI. That same year, Assistant Professor Danyang Zhuo gained an Amazon Research Award. This award provides access to Amazon AI/ML services and tools. The college’s Electrical and Computer Engineering Department runs two artificial intelligence-focused centers:
- The NSF Institute for Edge Computing Leveraging Next-Generation Networks
- The Duke Center for Computational Evolutionary Intelligence
The department collaborates with leading industry partners, including:
- The Microsoft Innovation Hub
- Samsung
Duke also runs six centers/initiatives focusing on artificial intelligence. There is a division devoted to utilizing AI in healthcare. It also formed a partnership with Microsoft in 2022. Forbes considers Duke University an excellent college for studying artificial intelligence. U.S. News ranks the college’s artificial intelligence programs among the top 25 in America.
26. Georgia Institute of Technology
Atlanta, Georgia
In 2023, Georgia Tech received a $1.3 million donation from the Mellon Foundation. This enabled the school to collaborate with other Atlanta-based colleges. Together, they form the Atlanta Interdisciplinary AI Network. This network will research how to use AI ethically and equitably. Other artificial intelligence-focused labs and institutes within the college include:
- The Institute of Robotics & Intelligent Machines
- The Computational Behavior Analysis Lab
- The Machine Learning and Perception Lab
Analytics Yogi considers Georgia Institute of Technology the 12th best AI/ML research college. U.S. News names the college’s artificial intelligence programs the sixth best in the country.
25. University of Rochester
Rochester, New York
UR’s Computer Science Department works with the linguistics and brain/cognitive sciences departments. They conduct artificial intelligence work. It also participates in artificial intelligence research opportunities with:
- The Center for Languages Sciences
- The Center for Visual Science
- The Goergen Institute for Data Science
In September 2023, the college announced that the Department of Energy provided $3 million in funding. The funds are for a collaboration between researchers from the college and Hewlett Packard Enterprise. They will explore machine learning’s potential to improve laser fusion implosions. This could lead to the creation of fusion energy sources. Computer Science Degree Hub considers the University of Rochester the 16th best AI college. UR is also featured in College Transitions’ ranking of the best artificial intelligence colleges.
24. California Institute of Technology
Pasadena, California
Faculty members focusing on AI at Caltech are currently running projects that include:
- Improving computational cameras
- Analyzing the consequences of algorithmic decision-making in the context of bias
The college also runs the online AI and Machine Learning Bootcamp with IBM. This allows people to gain employable skills in AI within just seven months. In 2023, the college launched the Center for Science, Society, and Public Policy. The center highlights artificial intelligence’s intersection across scientific and ethical applications. Analytics Yogi considers Caltech the fifth-best AI/ML research college. Computer Science Degree Hub names it the 15th best for artificial intelligence.
23. Princeton University
Princeton, New Jersey
In 2023, Princeton University announced the Language and Intelligence initiative. It brings together a seven-person executive committee and a 10-person research advisory committee. They work to push the boundaries of AI. These committees feature faculty members from over a dozen disciplines across the college. The college’s administration has approved $10 million in technology funding to support this initiative. They form the biggest tech cluster in academia. In 2018, the college launched the AI4ALL summer program. The program aims to diversify the field of artificial intelligence. They teach high school students in an immersive residential camp for three weeks. To advance AI, the college’s Department of Computer Science also works with:
- The Center for Statistics and Machine Learning
- The Princeton Neuroscience Institute
The Center for Information Technology Policy and the Princeton Visual AI Lab also perform artificial intelligence-focused work. Forbes considers Princeton University one of the best colleges for studying artificial intelligence. U.S. News names the college’s artificial intelligence programs the 13th best in America.
22. University of Georgia
Athens, Georgia
AI work at the University of Georgia dates back to 1984. It started when researchers formed the Artificial Intelligence Research Group. In 1995, this group became the Artificial Intelligence Center. It has since expanded into the Institute for Artificial Intelligence. Another expansion of the college is scheduled for completion in 2024. It aims to recruit 70 faculty members. These professors will have expertise in applying AI to society’s most pressing challenges. In early 2023, the college partnered with Purdue University and the University of Maine. The partnership began on a $10 million Department of Agriculture-funded project. The project aims to use AI to allow landowners to adapt forests to economic and climate volatility. Also, in 2023, the college gained funding to develop an AI tool that could improve the mapping of coral reefs. They used artificial intelligence to discover a new planet outside the Solar System. Computer Science Degree Hub names the UG the third-best AI college for students.
21. University of California, San Diego
La Jolla, San Diego
Currently, four centers and institutes at UC San Diego focus on artificial intelligence. These are:
- The Institute for Learning-Enabled Optimization at Scale
- The Institute for Practical Ethics
- The SDSC Advanced Technology Lab
- The Processing with Intelligence Storage and Memory
The Institute for Learning-Enabled Optimization at Scale was launched in 2021. This resulted from $20 million in funding from the National Science Foundation. A range of equipment and facilities on campus aid in artificial intelligence work. This includes the Voyager Supercomputer. Some of the recent applications of artificial intelligence include using the technology to:
- Inform climate action
- Uncover rare DNA sequences
- Address the issue of food deserts in low-income communities
U.S. News considers UC San Diego’s artificial intelligence programs the 12th best in America. College Transitions includes the college on its list of the best AI schools.
20. University of Michigan
Ann Arbor, Michigan
In 2023, the University of Michigan became the first major college to create its own generative AI model, U-M GPT. Earlier that year, the college’s Michigan Institute for Data Science held a forum on ethics in artificial intelligence. Researchers from the college developed an energy optimization framework for artificial intelligence training. It was 75% more energy efficient than previous frameworks. UM’s Professor Jason Mars partnered with the University of Moratuwa in Sri Lanka in 2023 to enhance generative AI education. In 2022, LG opened a research center for artificial intelligence in Ann Arbor. They recruited UMichigan Computer Science Professor Lee Hong-rak to lead its operations. In 2021, the college also gained funding for artificial intelligence. This included a $1.1 million grant from the National Science Foundation. The funding was used for machine learning to enhance understanding of Alzheimer’s disease. That same year, the college also received a $2 million grant from the National Science Foundation to create construction robots that could learn from human partners. US News considers the University of Michigan to have the 10th best artificial intelligence program. ThinkML names the college’s Applied Data Science with Python Specialization course the fifth-best data science certification.
19. University of Washington
Seattle, Washington
In 2023, the University of Washington announced the creation of the Institute for Medical Data Science. Its mission is to improve healthcare with artificial intelligence. This institute will begin by focusing on five pilot projects set to take place over five years. This is thanks to $750,000 of initial funding. The announcement came after prior instances of the college using artificial intelligence for medical purposes, such as targeting cancer treatment. Much of the college’s artificial intelligence work is led by the college’s Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science & Engineering. The faculty members here have been successful in shaping the world of AI. Professor of Machine Learning Carlos Guestrin is a strong example. Apple purchased his AI company, Turi, for around $200 million in 2016. The college also runs SAMPL, a machine learning research group that collaborates with a college research group at Carnegie Mellon University. Analytics Yogi considers the University of Washington the US’s seventh-best AI/ML research college. ThinkML lists the college’s Certificate in Machine Learning as the sixth-best AI certification. U.S. News ranks the college as the seventh best for artificial intelligence programs. Computer Science Degree Hub names the college the second-best artificial intelligence school.
18. Northwestern University
Evanston, Illinois
At Northwestern University, over 200 faculty members across eight schools actively engage in artificial intelligence work. The college is also collaborating with other universities to advance artificial intelligence. For example, a September 2023 event in conjunction with The University of Chicago highlighted how AI could advance healthcare to various professionals. The college also runs 20 institutes and centers focused on artificial intelligence. These include:
- The Center for Advancing Safety of Machine Intelligence
- The Center for Synthetic Biology
- The Querrey Simpson Institute for Bioelectronics
Recently, the college announced that some of its scientists were participating in a $45 million AI project. They will create implantable devices that could both sense and treat cancer. Computer Science Degree Hub considers Northwestern University the 18th best artificial intelligence college for students.
17. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania is researching AI. Its mission is to “improve business processes and human behavior to transform and innovate business enterprises.” Funded artificial intelligence projects undertaken at the school in 2023 include:
- researching the perception around AI decision aids such as ChatGPT
- applying AI to ease CEO transitions at businesses
- developing means to improve the global health supply chains in underserved communities
The college’s Perelman School of Medicine also runs the Institute for Biomedical Informatics’s Artificial Intelligence Collaboratory. The institute aims to use artificial intelligence in biomedical and clinical research projects. In 2022, the college also formed the AI2D Center. It works to use AI to improve medical diagnostic decisions and personalized treatments. U.S. News considers the University of Pennsylvania to have the joint 15th best artificial intelligence programs in America. Computer Science Degree Hub names the college the 11th best artificial intelligence school for students. Forbes also considers the University of Pennsylvania one of the best colleges for studying artificial intelligence.
16. University of California, Berkeley
Berkeley, California
Current centers focusing on artificial intelligence advancement and societal usage at the University of California, Berkeley, include:
- The Berkeley Artificial Intelligence Research Lab
- The Berkeley Law AI Institute
- The Berkeley AI Policy Hub
- The Center for Information Technology Research in the Interest of Society
- The Banatao Institute
Current AI software in development at the college is two-fold. It includes a system that automatically identifies species of animals by relaying photos to a data repository and a brain implant that helps paralyzed people speak. In 2022, the college also launched the Berkeley AI Research Climate Initiative. This initiative was launched after student research highlighted that less than 1% of publications presented at three of the most prestigious AI conferences mentioned climate change. The college is also the home of the Center for Human-Compatible AI. The center collaborates with Cornell University, the University of Michigan, the University of Oxford, and several other organizations. Analytics Yogi names the University of California, Berkeley, the fourth-best US university for AI/ML research. ThinkML ranks the college as the eighth best in the world for AI academics. U.S. News considers its artificial intelligence programs to be the fourth best. Computer Science Degree Hub lists it as the seventh-best college for artificial intelligence. Forbes also considers the college one of the best for studying artificial intelligence.
15. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Champaign, Illinois
In 2023 alone, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign has received significant funding for artificial intelligence research. This includes:
- $5.8 million from DARPA’s Environment-driven Conceptual Learning program to improve conceptual learning in machines
- $110,000 from OpenAI will be used to develop artificial intelligence in a manner that supports underserved groups
- $8 million will be used to establish the Inclusive and Intelligent Technologies for Education Institute
The college opened the Amazon-Illinois Center on Artificial Intelligence (AI) for Interactive Conversational Experiences (AICE) Center in 2023. Other areas within the college that focus on artificial intelligence are:
- The Beckman Institute
- The Center for Artificial Intelligence Innovation
- The Center for Autonomy
Analytics Yogi considers the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign the ninth-best college for AI/ML research. U.S. News names its artificial intelligence programs the fifth best in America.
14. University of California, Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California
The Samueli School of Engineering at the University of California, Los Angeles, has ten centers and groups focused on advancing artificial intelligence. These include:
- The Scalable Analytics Institute
- The Center for Vision, Cognition, Learning, and Autonomy
- The Statistical and Relational Artificial Intelligence (StarAI) Lab
In 2022, the college gained $26 million in funding from Pivotal Ventures to run the Los Angeles division of the Break Through Tech AI hub. The hub offers a free 18-month artificial intelligence program to a diverse range of students. The college-run LA Bioscience Ecosystem Summit in 2023 also hosted a panel discussion with hospital leaders regarding the future of artificial intelligence within healthcare. Analytics Yogi considers the University of California Los Angeles the eighth-best college for AI/ML research. U.S. News names the college’s artificial intelligence programs the 14th best in America.
13. The University of Texas at Austin
Austin, Texas
Artificial intelligence research at The University of Texas at Austin had been in process for several years when it opened The Artificial Intelligence Lab on campus in 1983. Since then, the college has opened over a dozen more centers and labs focusing on artificial intelligence. This includes the Autonomous Mobile Robotics Laboratory and the Virtual Reality Lab. In 2022, a $10 million gift enabled one of these centers, the Machine Learning Lab, to partner with the Oden Institute for Computational Engineering and Sciences and the Dell Medical School. The intent was to transform the future of cancer care. In 2023, the college launched a new and affordable online Master of Science Degree in artificial intelligence. Analytics Yogi considers The University of Texas at Austin the 10th best AI/ML research college. U.S. News names the college the eighth best for artificial intelligence programs in America. Computer Science Degree Hub names the college the eighth best artificial intelligence school for students.
12. Indiana University, Bloomington
Bloomington, Indiana
In 2019, a $60 million alumnus donation to Indiana University, Bloomington, led to the creation of The Luddy Center for Artificial Intelligence. Since 2020, this center has managed to gain over $45 million in additional funding. In 2021, the college began collaborating with other colleges on National Science Foundation-funded projects. The aim is to help advance artificial intelligence’s ability to improve lives. The college continues to gain funding for artificial intelligence research. An October 2023 announcement revealed the college had gained a $2.3 million National Institutes of Health grant to develop artificial intelligence-powered brain-imaging research tools. Computer Science Degree Hub considers Indiana University, Bloomington the sixth-best artificial intelligence college for students. Niche names it the second-best college with artificial intelligence degrees.
11. University of Maryland
College Park, Maryland
In May 2023, the University of Maryland announced that the National Science Foundation had provided $20 million in funding to establish the Institute for Trustworthy AI in Law & Society. This institute will unite “AI and machine learning specialists with social scientists, legal scholars, educators, and public policy experts.” The college also maintains a number of other centers that focus on artificial intelligence. These include:
- The Center for Machine Learning
- The Human-Computer Interaction Lab
- The Center for Automation Research
The college also runs a grant. It awards up to $500,000 in funding for researchers to develop ethical artificial intelligence that advances human well-being. Forbes considers the University of Maryland an excellent college for studying artificial intelligence. U.S. News ranks the college’s artificial intelligence programs as the 15th best in America.
10. The Ohio State University
Columbus, Ohio
Between 2015 and 2022, The Ohio State University was awarded $235 million in funding for artificial intelligence research. It also has over 300 faculty members working on artificial intelligence research. It houses ten centers that focus on artificial intelligence research, including:
- The AI Institute for Future Edge Networks and Distributed Intelligence
- The Imageomics Institute
- The Ohio Supercomputer Center
The college also runs an online artificial intelligence boot camp. The camp provides learners with the skills they need to work with AI in 24 weeks. Computer Science Degree Hub considers The Ohio State University the 10th best artificial intelligence college for students.
9. Purdue University
West Lafayette, Indiana
In April 2023, Purdue University opened the Institute for Physical AI. This was the first institute focused on physical artificial intelligence nationwide. This institute also led to the recruitment of 50 new faculty members. Since its opening, the institute has been affiliated with over 20 centers and labs within and outside the college. The college has also recently gained a $500,000 grant to support the usage of artificial intelligence in climate-smart agriculture and forestry. The college also announced that in 2023, it would invest $100 million into semiconductor research and learning facilities. The college is collaborating with other colleges to advance AI. For example, it is participating in a $20 million five-year project that combines the expertise of its faculty with those of the University of California, Berkeley, and the University of California, Santa Barbara, to research AI-powered cybersecurity. The college also hosted a 2023 system-wide virtual forum that focused on how higher education can be re-imagined with artificial intelligence. U.S. News considers Purdue University to have the joint 23rd-best artificial intelligence program in America. Computer Science Degree Hub names the college as the best artificial intelligence school for students.
8. University of Minnesota
Minneapolis, Minnesota
In May 2023, the University of Minnesota announced that it had gained $20 million in funding from the National Science Foundation and the Department of Agriculture. These funds were earmarked to create the AI Institute for Climate-Land Interactions, Mitigation, Adaptation, Tradeoffs, and Economy. This institute’s primary goal will be to create a broader range of climate-smart practices that boost the agriculture and forestry economies. In June of that year, the college also reported that it had developed a new supercomputing diode that could potentially advance the performance of artificial intelligence. These achievements come from the college’s Department of Computer Science and Engineering. Recently, this department alone has secured:
- A $930,000 grant to improve underwater robotics algorithms
- A $4.5 million grant to apply artificial intelligence to materials science
- A $1.4 million grant to collaborate with the college’s medical school to improve patient safety
U.S. News considers the University of Minnesota to have the joint 25th best artificial intelligence programs of any American college. Computer Science Degree Hub names it the fourth-best artificial intelligence school for students.
7. Cornell University
Ithaca, New York
Since the early 1990s, Cornell University’s computer science department has been a leader in artificial intelligence. Since this time, a number of other artificial intelligence-focused departments have emerged from the college. One of the most notable recent efforts is the Cornell AI Initiative. This initiative was launched in 2021, It facilitates university-wide AI collaboration. In 2022, it gained $15 million from New York-Presbyterian to use machine learning to improve outcomes for people with cardiovascular disease. In 2023, the college received a further $11.3 million from the Office of Naval Research to establish the Scientific Artificial Intelligence Center dedicated to human-AI collaboration. Analytics Yogi considers Cornell University the 11th best college for AI/ML research. ThinkML names its Machine Learning Certificate the fifth-best AI certification/course. U.S. News believes that its artificial intelligence programs are the ninth best in America.
6. Stanford University
Stanford, California
In 1962, the man who first coined “artificial intelligence,” John McCarthy, joined Stanford University. He founded the Stanford Artificial Intelligence Lab in the early 1960s. A significant amount of research since this time has contributed to advances in machine learning. This includes the creation of a robot named Shakey in the 1970s. The robot utilized perception learning programs now used in many AI applications. The college is currently conducting a 100-year study on artificial intelligence, which began in 2014. The study aims to analyze how AI’s effects “will ripple through every aspect of how people work, live and play.” In 2019, the college launched the Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence. The center focuses on ensuring that AI will benefit society. Analytics Yogi considers Stanford University the second-best college for AI/ML research. ThinkML ranks it as the second-best AI academic school in the world. U.S. News believes that the college has America’s third-best artificial intelligence programs. Computer Science Degree Hub lists it as the 14th best artificial intelligence school. Forbes also considers it one of the best colleges for studying artificial intelligence.
5. Columbia University
New York City, New York
In 2023, The National Science Foundation awarded a Columbia University-led team $20 million to develop a new AI institute. This institute will collaborate with partners across America. It will use AI to advance the understanding of how the human brain functions. The news comes on top of other successful funding efforts that the college has led in recent years. This includes a $20 million National Science Foundation award in 2021. This award enabled the college to partner with the University of Washington and Harvard University to create the AI Institute for Dynamic Systems. That year, the National Science Foundation also gave the college $25 million. This was to build a science and technology center that uses artificial intelligence for climate modeling. In prior years, the college has also worked with organizations such as Amazon and IBM to create centers focused on other areas of artificial intelligence research. Analytics Yogi considers Columbia University the 13th-best college for AI/ML research. ThinkML names the college’s MicroMasters Program in AI the world’s fifth-best online artificial intelligence course. U.S. News ranks the college as having America’s 11th-best artificial intelligence programs. Computer Science Degree Hub places the college at 20th in its ranking of the best artificial intelligence schools for students.
4. Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Decades ago, Carnegie Mellon University faculty member Herbert A. Simon’s research led to the creation of the first computational tools that simulated and augmented human thinking. In the present day, the college’s AI innovations are currently being used at Microsoft, Apple, Boeing, and other leading technology companies. Some of its present-day AI projects aim to produce greater quantities of food and fight Alzheimer’s disease. In 2023, assistant professor Leila Wehbe of the Machine Learning Department gained over $600,000 in funding from the National Science Foundation. This was to improve the understanding of language processing. It will aid AI’s ability to model brain activity. Analytics Yogi ranks Carnegie Mellon University as the third-best American AI/ML research college. ThinkML considers the college to be the seventh-best AI academic college in the world. US News considers the college to have the best AI programs in America. Computer Science Degree Hub ranks the college as the 12th best AI school. Niche considers the college to have the best artificial intelligence degrees in the US.
3. Harvard University
Cambridge, Massachusetts
The academic focus on artificial intelligence at Harvard University is performed in an interdisciplinary manner. It includes faculty members and students alike who represent computer science, public health, medicine, law, public policy, business, and other departments. This work is managed by the Kempner Institute for the Study of Natural and Artificial Intelligence. The institute opened in late 2021, thanks to a $500 million donation from Priscilla Chan and Mark Zuckerberg. An AI platform developed by one of this institute’s faculty members, Jonathan Frankle, was later sold to Databricks in a $1.3 billion deal. In 2023, the college launched an AI sandbox tool. The tool prevents security compromises of confidential information. Analytics Yogi considers Harvard University to be the sixth-best college in the US for AI/ML research. ThinkML ranks it as the best school in the world for AI academics. Computer Science Degree Hub lists the college as the 13th best AI school for students.
2. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, California
In 2023, the University of Southern California launched a $1 billion+ initiative to expand advanced computing throughout the university. A significant sum of this funding will focus on research and innovation in artificial intelligence. Recently, the college invested $10 million to launch the Center for Generative AI and Society. This center explores the transformative impact of artificial intelligence. The college is also responsible for some historic artificial intelligence advancements. For example, Professor of Electrical Engineering, Mathematics, and Medicine Richard E. Bellman invented dynamic programming used on all autonomous systems. The college also runs USC Viterbi. The initiative brings together over 50 faculty members to use artificial intelligence for social good. One member of this center, Professor Mahdi Soltankotabi, succeeded in gaining $2.4 million from the National Institutes of Health in 2023. This secured funding to develop AI-powered algorithms that could lessen the need for MRI machines and correct imaging errors. Forbes considers the University of Southern California one of the ten best colleges for studying artificial intelligence. U.S. News names the college’s artificial intelligence programs the 19th best in America. Computer Science Degree Hub lists the college as the 17th best artificial intelligence school for students.
1. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Cambridge, Massachusetts
The Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (CSAIL) runs over 60 research groups. These groups focus on diverse ways to improve the application and effectiveness of machine learning. This laboratory is the combination of two prior divisions within the college: the AI Lab, which was founded in 1959, and Project MAC, which was founded in 1963. These labs merged in 2003. They have continued to grow since then, with an annual research budget of $65 million. Early innovations from this lab included time-sharing systems that pioneered the concepts behind software and operating systems. In late 2023, CSAIL’s BRAIN Initiative Across Scales program, which advances neuro technologies, was awarded $150 million from the National Institutes of Health. The college also has a cooperative agreement with the US Department of the Air Force to create an Artificial Intelligence Accelerator. Additionally, the college offers a short course for business owners to integrate AI in their organization. Analytics Yogi ranks the Massachusetts Institute of Technology as the best AI/ML research college. ThinkML considers it to be the third-best college for artificial intelligence academics. U.S. News names it the second-best artificial intelligence school. Forbes notes that the college’s Artificial Intelligence and Decision Making program requires students to attend a class regarding the social and ethical responsibilities of computing.
Related:
- 30 Best Colleges For Cyber Security Systems And Innovations
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Sources:
- Analytics Yogi, Top US Universities for AI/ML Research
- ThinkML, Top 10 Leading Universities in AI Research
- U.S. News, Best Artificial Intelligence Programs
- Computer Science Degree Hub, 20 Best Artificial Intelligence Schools for College Students
- Niche, 2024 Best Colleges with Artificial Intelligence Degrees in America
- College Transitions, Best Colleges for Artificial Intelligence
- Forbes, 10 Great Colleges For Studying Artificial Intelligence