A year after the Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU) decided to introduce artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) in its affiliated colleges as a Bachelor of Engineering (BE) courses, several Bengaluru engineering colleges have started offering the new-age courses.
According to the Karnataka Common Entrance Test (K-CET) draft seat matrix, several colleges have already fixed the number of seats for BE in AI and ML for about 40-60 seats for the first-year undergraduate program. This comes after VTU’s expert committee had in 2019 said that since AI and ML was applicable to all the streams, students should have an understanding about the said subjects.
Nithin Mohan, CEO, Cambridge Group of Institutions, told DH, “Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning are not an option in today’s world but a necessity. To go back, 2016 marks an important milestone in the age of technology. Oil companies ruled the global market until then. But since 2016, tech companies such as Google, Microsoft, Amazon among others entered into the elite group of wealthiest companies in the world. One of the reasons is that all these tech companies not only used AI and ML as a fuel to the technology.”
“Intercultural engagement between technology, business and human engineering is a reality nowadays. Data is required for every organisation to take right decisions. With the advent of IoT, AI and other technology-enabled processes, organisations have access to huge data in the present environment. As much as 90% of the data on the internet has been created since 2016, according to an IBM Marketing Cloud study,” added Mohan.
Until now, a lot of supplementary and complementary programmes in AI and ML were available for students. However, to drive the innovation through research and live projects, an in-depth programme and focused dedication is required which is not possible without a four-year BE/BTech in AI and ML, say experts.
Mohan said, “At Cambridge Institute of Technology, Bengaluru, we are starting our exciting journey in the field AI and ML from the academic year 2020-21, with a sanctioned student strength of 60. CiTech has active faculty with specialisation in machine learning and deep learning. In addition, we have senior industry experts and AI/ML scientists from across the globe who are guiding our students and faculties for innovation and research relevant for the world today.”
Professor Nataraj A G, principal of AMC Engineering College said, “AI has emerged as an innovative approach for many technology-based solutions.”