MIT plans college for artificial intelligence, backed by $1 billion

It is scheduled to begin in the fall semester next year, housed in other buildings before moving into its own new space in 2022

Every major university is wrestling with how to adapt to the technology wave of artificial intelligence — how to prepare students not only to harness the powerful tools of AI, but also to thoughtfully weigh its ethical and social implications. AI courses, conferences and joint majors have proliferated in the last few years.

But the Massachusetts Institute of Technology is taking a particularly ambitious step, creating a new college backed by a planned investment of $1 billion. Two-thirds of the funds have already been raised, MIT said, in announcing the initiative on Monday.

The linchpin gift of $350