TAMPA — Starting in the fall semester of 2023, the University of South Florida will offer a an Artificial Intelligence Certificate.

"As people become aware of it, know what’s inside it, what is possible, what are the limitations, what it can do, I think we can better use it,” said Distinguished University Professor Sudeep Sarkar, who is Chair of Computer Science and Engineering at USF.

The new graduate certificate program will help students seeking a competitive edge in the emerging tech field.

"Unleashing human potential," Sarkar explained. "That’s realistically the goal that AI should go towards, not the scary scenarios where they control us.”

The Institute for Artificial Intelligence is taking control and will offer an introductory course and others in deep mining, deep learning and computer vision.

From environmental research to cybersecurity, manufacturing and medical devices, the program teaches multiple ways AI can be put into practice. Sarkar says to also expect an emphasis on ethics and policy.

Providing that deeper understanding of technology, Sarkar stresses the certification will help strengthen our community's competitiveness in the expanding tech field.

"They would have a deeper understanding of the technology, they’ll demystify the technology, they will know its limitations and use it in a way that’s beneficial to the society," said Professor Sarkar.

The deadline to register for the fall semester is August 1.