Dartmouth College announced on Mar. 17 the launch and expansion of a range of programs and courses designed to prepare students to use artificial intelligence (AI) thoughtfully, critically, and ethically.
The initiative aims to equip students with the skills needed for an evolving workforce where AI plays a growing role, while emphasizing the importance of human judgment and responsibility. Dartmouth is building on its history as the birthplace of AI by offering new opportunities in engineering, business, health care, arts, and sciences.
Provost Santiago Schnell said, “AI is changing how knowledge is accessed, communicated, and applied—but universities have a responsibility to be equally clear about what it cannot do. At Dartmouth, the conversation isn’t simply about adopting new tools; it’s about ensuring those tools amplify human judgment rather than replace it.” Schnell added that the new offerings are intended to train future leaders who understand that what machines cannot provide—such as navigating uncertainty or bearing responsibility for truth—is central to a Dartmouth education.
The Thayer School of Engineering now offers an AI track within its Master of Engineering program and an undergraduate concentration in AI. Douglas Van Citters ’99, Thayer ’03, ’06, interim dean of Thayer said: “We are excited to introduce new opportunities for students to gain expertise and take on leadership roles in AI and related fields. And we are doing this the Dartmouth way—by teaching our students to ask critical questions and consider the human impact to ensure AI serves society in responsible and meaningful ways.”
At Tuck School of Business, artificial intelligence has been integrated throughout the MBA curriculum with several new electives such as AI-Driven Analytics & Society; NLP/Machine Learning in Finance; AI & Ethics; among others. Dean Matthew Slaughter said: “We are empowering students, faculty, and staff to use AI with confidence agility and judgment…we expect that AI will increase demand for leadership capabilities that Tuck excels at creating.” The Tuck Business Bridge Program also now includes training focused on critical engagement with technology.
Geisel School of Medicine has merged artificial intelligence into first- and second-year medical education courses covering topics like cognitive outsourcing risks as well as ethical use of technology. New platforms include simulated clinical encounters using an “AI Patient Actor” tool along with learning assistants such as NeuroBot TA.
In arts & sciences departments across campus—including first-year seminars—students compare their own writing processes against outputs generated by language models while discussing accuracy issues such as hallucinations or bias embedded within algorithms. Upcoming events celebrating 70 years since Dartmouth’s seminal Summer Research Project on Artificial Intelligence will focus on human-centered approaches.
