Introduction to Artificial Intelligence Major

1. Introduction to Artificial Intelligence

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a new field of technology science that studies and develops theories, methods, technologies, and application systems to simulate, extend, and enhance human intelligence. The main research content of AI includes: knowledge representation, automated reasoning and search methods, machine learning and knowledge acquisition, knowledge processing systems, natural language understanding, computer vision, intelligent robotics, automated program design, and more. Currently, AI has become an important driving force leading a new round of technological revolution and industrial transformation, profoundly changing people’s production, life, and learning methods, and promoting human society into an intelligent era of human-machine collaboration, cross-border integration, and co-creation. AI has broad application prospects and has achieved successful applications in many areas, with representative fields including: intelligent manufacturing, smart homes, intelligent transportation, smart healthcare, and intelligent logistics.

2. Major Introduction

The Artificial Intelligence major at Liaocheng University was newly approved by the Ministry of Education in 2020. This major is a new and distinctive program approved for enrollment based on the national AI strategy. This major is based on a “solid foundation, strong application, and engineering emphasis” three-in-one compound and application-oriented talent cultivation approach; it adopts a model of education that integrates science and education, and collaborates with industry and academia; relying on Liaocheng University’s resource synergy advantages in disciplines such as computer science, mathematics, communication, agriculture, biology, medicine, automotive, and psychology, it sets up a multidisciplinary cross-course system; in the foundational aspect, it strengthens and emphasizes the learning of advanced mathematics and algebra, statistical analysis and computation, and programming basics; professional direction courses cover comprehensive and in-depth important research areas and directions in AI; through experiments and practical classes, enterprise internships, and training, it enhances students’ ability to solve practical engineering problems.

3. Major Positioning

The goal of cultivating talents in the Artificial Intelligence major is to have a solid mathematical foundation and knowledge related to cognitive science and information science; to systematically master the basic theories and methods of AI; to possess the ability to apply basic models, principles, and methods of AI, design effective technical solutions, and engage in related application research and development; to have good scientific thinking and experimental skills, a deep understanding of cutting-edge technologies in key areas of AI, and the ability to conduct scientific research in related directions; to have a high sense of social responsibility and good professional ethics, as well as lifelong learning abilities and innovation capabilities, able to engage in AI application and research work in education, scientific research, enterprises, administrative management, etc., and to cultivate high-quality compound application-oriented talents with innovative spirit and strong practical abilities.

4. Core Courses

As a new major, Artificial Intelligence has significant characteristics of new engineering. Our university’s Artificial Intelligence major expands its unique curriculum system based on traditional computer knowledge. The core courses of this major include: advanced mathematics, linear algebra, probability theory and mathematical statistics, introduction to artificial intelligence, programming fundamentals, university physics, electronic technology and systems, digital signal processing, discrete mathematics, data structures, principles and applications of database, principles and interfaces of embedded systems, machine learning and pattern recognition, natural language processing, computer vision, neural networks and deep learning, and the philosophical and ethical foundations of artificial intelligence.

5. Faculty Strength

Our university has a high-level interdisciplinary teaching team with 23 full-time and part-time teachers, including 4 professors, 9 associate professors, and 11 with doctoral degrees. Research areas include intelligent optimization and scheduling, natural language processing and big data mining, machine learning and image processing, intelligent computing for biological big data, intelligent robotics, and other AI-related fields.

6. Educational Conditions

Currently, we have the “Intelligent Information Processing and Network Security Laboratory” which is a key laboratory in Shandong Province during the 12th Five-Year Plan, and the “Big Data Intelligent Analysis and Optimization Control Laboratory” which is a key laboratory in Shandong Province during the 13th Five-Year Plan; the experimental teaching environment for this major includes a central machine room, mobile development laboratory, intelligent computing and network security laboratory, machine learning and big data analysis laboratory, intelligent robotics laboratory, U+ new engineering education cloud platform, and database technology laboratory; we have professional equipment for cloud computing and big data processing, high-performance computing server clusters, high-end general-purpose computing graphics cards, Internet of Things and computer composition principles, microcontroller and interface experimental systems, and various innovative practice platforms for robots. In addition, we also set up on-campus laboratories co-built with partner companies and off-campus bases for senior students’ internships and training.

7. Employment Prospects

Graduates of the Artificial Intelligence major can choose to pursue master’s and doctoral degrees in related disciplines at universities and research institutions both domestically and abroad, or engage in research, teaching, development, and management work in AI-related fields such as artificial intelligence, computer science, software, big data processing, communication, and control in educational and research institutions, enterprises, and administrative units. Currently, there is a high demand for talents cultivated in the AI major in industries such as intelligent manufacturing, intelligent driving, intelligent finance, smart cities, smart healthcare, and smart transportation, with good employment prospects and high salaries. The main employment areas for this major are in economically developed regions and coastal cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Jinan, and Qingdao.

8. Enrollment Plan

After research by our college’s enrollment leadership team, the preliminary enrollment plan for the Artificial Intelligence major in 2023 is set at 80 students.