Milwaukee Engineering School is building a $76.5 million artificial intelligence learning center.
Private university leaders announced their investments on Monday as part of a $125 million fundraising campaign to expand artificial intelligence programming on campus.
Investment comes as AI continues to expand into new areas of work and education. Meanwhile, a 2024 Reuters report found that there are skills gaps related to AI.
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“MSOE is ready to become a national leader in applied AI education,” University President John Waltz said at a presentation ceremony on Monday.
The main focus of the fundraising campaign is the $76.5 million Robert D. Kern Engineering Innovation Center. The 97,000-square-foot building features labs, classrooms and workshops focusing on robotics and AI.
Olga Imas, director of applied AI education at MSOE, said students are already learning about AI. IMAS said the building will allow the university to expand these efforts for years to come.
“The intent of this campaign, and in general the MSOE strategy, is the integration of AI across all academic programs across a range of academic disciplines,” IMAS said. “So that’s everything we do. The applied AI is at its heart.”
The building is also home to the university’s Center for Applied Artificial Intelligence Education. Walz said the center: “We will enable faculty, staff and students to collaborate, innovate and integrate AI into all academic programs, ensuring that MSOE alumni remain at the forefront of innovation.”
The university has also announced the establishment of the Dwight and Diane Deaks School of Advanced Computing. The school allows universities to “weave AI and machine learning into university-wide degree programs.”
Walz said he believes the school will become a “academic home” for those who want to apply AI education.
“This new school will be more than an academic division. It will serve as a central hub for advanced computing and AI integration across MSOE,” says Walz.
The university in downtown Milwaukee offers bachelor’s and master’s degrees in engineering, business and nursing. Founded in 1903, the university has approximately 2,900 students enrolled.
“AI is transforming everything from engineering to business to healthcare,” IMAS said. “That’s what we do every day. So it’s very important that the students and alumni who come from MSOE have the skills necessary to support it and make it a success.”
MSOE Regent Dwight Deaks and his wife Diane have pledged $20 million for the building. Dwight Deaks said AI is already in use in several fields, including biomolecular engineering and civil engineering.
“So, by putting it all in AI crossroads in each of these different fields, we can see that our students are ready to work to the extent that they graduate and can apply AI,” says Dwight Diercks.
The building’s groundbreaking event is scheduled for later in 2025. It will now be built in what is a parking lot on the university campus.
Walz hopes the building will be open for students ahead of the fall 2027 semester. He said more than $80 million has been raised so far for the campaign.
Two other universities of Wisconsin offering AI majors in the fall
University of Wisconsin Clare University and Carol University at Waukesha will offer new majors in artificial intelligence in fall 2025.
The Wisconsin Legislature Committee university approved UW-Ai’s Bachelor of Arts and Science majors on February 7th.
The establishment of an AI major has been featured on Alex Smith’s bucket list for many years. Smith, director of computer science and professor of mathematics at UW-eau Claire, retired in May. However, he said that new majors will provide students with the essential skills and knowledge to effectively collaborate in a changing workplace.
He envisions students with a wide range of interests, including those interested in AI majors, such as communication, business, and physical science.
“Artificial intelligence is an inherently interdisciplinary field and requires expertise across a variety of domains,” Smith said.
Carroll University says their courses will cover key AI technologies such as machine learning algorithms, natural language understanding, voice integration, image recognition, logical reasoning, data analysis and robots.
The curriculum is designed to help students become proficient in the most popular AI skills and bridge the employment gap, says Carroll, associate professor at Computer Science, Margaret Polk.
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