Adding AI to the Curriculum
AI and data literacy skills are among the highest in-demand skills in the workforce. To better prepare our students, the Departments of Mathematics and Statistics are each planning to launch an AI-focused option within their existing Mathematics and Statistics majors in 2026.
“We want students to have a place where they can dig more deeply into the mathematical and statistical foundations of AI tools,” said Matt Slifko, assistant teaching professor and chair of undergraduate curricula for the Department of Statistics. “These options complement the existing AI majors within the College of Information Sciences and Technology and the College Engineering, which focus more on building AI systems.”
The mathematics option is titled Mathematical Foundations of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, while the statistics option is titled Computing and Artificial Intelligence. The AI options have the same core set of requirements as other options within the majors, while allowing students to explore the mathematical and statistical tools that underpin AI models.
“As companies and research facilities start to pivot from very general AI tools like ChatGPT to more small-scale models that train on very specific high-quality data sets, there is going to be a market for people who can construct those models,” said Steven Hair, teaching professor and associate head for undergraduate education in the Department of Mathematics. “Beyond preparing our students for the workforce, it is important that everyone who graduates from Penn State gets basic training on what AI can and cannot do, on how AI works, and how to evaluate the output of AI models.”
Both departments are exploring how best to enhance AI literacy among their students, as well as how AI can be used in research, teaching, and administration.
“This year, we piloted a new research methods course where students are exploring how well AI could help with mathematical proofs,” Hair said. “We have also been using AI tools to improve accessibility of our materials within the department, for example transferring information from pdfs and other documents into websites that can be read by screen readers, as well as generating alt text and captions for images and videos.”
The Department of Statistics has also held a workshop where faculty have shared their experiences of integrating AI into classrooms, including what has been successful and what has not, with several more planned for the spring.
“We are still exploring how these tools can effectively be used in all areas of our departments and having conversations about how to develop AI literacy in our students,” said Slifko. “We know our students will use AI tools, but it is important they have strong foundations to critically evaluate AI results.”
Editor's Note: This story is part of a larger feature about artificial intelligence developed for the Winter 2026 issue of the Eberly College of Science Science Journal.