SALT LAKE CITY (KUTV) — Artificial intelligence affects jobs and is expected to eliminate other jobs as technology evolves.
Utah universities are adapting and making changes to help students prepare for jobs and careers that could be transformed by the time they graduate.
At Southern Utah University, seniors Livy and Collin Englebright are preparing for graduation with real-world experience. Livy runs her own wedding photography business, while Colin works in marketing. Both say they can already see how AI is changing their field.
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“I don’t think my job will be eliminated, but I think it has already changed,” Collin said.
Another SUU senior, Miriah Salee, said she changed her major and career path after realizing how quickly AI tools could eliminate her job as a graphic designer.
“It’s nerve-wracking because you could just throw a lot of things into Canva and my job as a graphic designer would disappear.”
Now she is studying art education and hopes to teach digital art at the middle school or high school level. She expects to use AI as a learning tool, but does not think AI will replace her as a teacher.
Kristy Morgan, vice president for Career Success at SUU, said the rise of AI has created uncertainty for many students.
“It creates a lot of confusion around jobs,” Morgan said.
Still, she thinks universities are the best place to prepare students for the changes that can be expected in the workplace as a result of AI.
“University is still the best place to prepare young people by teaching them critical thinking, relationship skills and dealing with the ethical and moral questions created by AI,” she said.
Morgan said most SUU students are aspiring to take on creative or leadership roles that AI will expand rather than completely replace.
SUU also trains teachers in how to responsibly integrate AI into courses. The university is developing a minor and certificate in AI ethics to help students explore the broader impact of the technology.
“Students aren’t necessarily concerned about using AI; they’re more concerned about the big questions: How do we deal with this and how is it good for society?” Morgan said.
At Weber State University, educators are asking similar questions as they develop new degrees and programs focused on artificial intelligence.
Kyle Feuz, head of the Weber State School of Computing, says AI has brought about major changes in the way computer science is taught.
“It has caused huge changes in the way we deliver our courses,” he said.
Computer science freshmen still learn the basics of programming without AI tools, but in junior and senior years students are encouraged to use AI as a “coding assistant” – just as they would in the workplace.
“You need to know how code works to use the tool effectively. By the time they reach the upper class, we want them to work alongside AI because that is what they will be doing in the industry,” Feuz said.
Feuz says many students worry whether their skills will remain relevant in a rapidly changing field, but he believes AI will increase rather than eliminate opportunities.
He reminded students that computer science is always changing as new technologies emerge. AI represents another change, and he is confident that computer scientists will adapt again.
“It will be a partnership of humans, assisted by AI. The things we will be able to do are probably beyond what we can imagine,” he said.
The University of Utah recently announced that its School of Business will launch a new AI minor available to all students starting next fall.
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