AI minor introduces students to a ‘helpful teammate’
The UNC School of Data and Information Sciences minor prepares scholars for the modern workplace.
One of UNC-Chapel Hill’s newest minors is preparing students to use an increasingly common technology in American work life.
Run by the UNC School of Data and Information Sciences, the artificial intelligence minor is primarily intended for students from outside computing disciplines who want to develop proficiency in and a deeper understanding of AI and its impact on their careers.
Gallup research from the second quarter of 2026 shows that 52% of U.S. employees now use AI at work, up from 40% in 2025 and 27% in 2024.
“No matter what kind of job you have or where you work, I think you’re going to find AI to be an incredibly useful teammate,” said Stan Ahalt, SDIS dean. “This minor helps introduce to students not only how this teammate can help but its origins and implications.”
Students who complete the minor will learn to:
- Build a strong understanding of how AI systems work
- Select and appropriately use AI tools for a variety of applications
- Demonstrate proficiency in current AI tools and develop skills to adapt to advancements
- Critically appraise AI output
- Articulate the benefits and drawbacks of AI across society
Rei Sanchez-Arias, SDIS teaching associate professor and associate dean for academic affairs, helped create the 15-credit-hour minor and teaches DATA 117: AI Unlocked for Curious Minds, one of three required courses. Students learn about the power and limitations of modern AI use, including ethical and societal considerations.
The goal is for students from all disciplines to understand and responsibly use AI concepts in their fields. In a class survey, Sanchez-Arias learned his students’ majors include political science, philosophy, psychology, public policy, nursing, business administration, nutrition, biology and physics.
“It’s a machine. It’s a tool,” Ahalt said of AI. “And understanding how to use that tool and approach it is not something that is for just those who are technically oriented.”
Other recently developed courses that are part of the minor include:
- DATA 317: AI-Powered Exploration and Discovery: This class introduces students to AI tools for writing, research, data analysis, creative media and assisted coding. They will learn best practices for prompt engineering and experiment with strategies for effective communication with AI systems.
- DATA 320: Human-Centered AI: Taught by Kathryn Wymer, this class covers the reliability, safety, transparency, accountability and trustworthiness of AI systems. Students will learn how AI systems can be designed to respect and prioritize human values and needs.
- DATA 420i: Lessons Learned from Failures of Data-Driven Systems in Society: Taught by Sun-ha Hong, this class explores science and technology studies, AI ethics and social theory from multiple perspectives. The course focuses on developing skills for finding, understanding and explaining research across fields.
The minor’s creation is a key piece of the University’s larger goal to harness AI and lead in its use for the public good. It is also part of a wider national trend of institutions prioritizing academic offerings involving AI. Across the UNC System, multiple universities offer or are planning AI-related majors, minors or certificates.
“What we are trying to do at Carolina is make sure that this isn’t just a concentration with computer science but instead ensure that all disciplines learn how to use these tools — whatever sector they work in when they graduate,” Ahalt said.
The chance for students to dictate the direction of the minor excites Ahalt.
“We will be gathering young, eager minds together,” he said. “I think they will help shape their teachers because they will push in a way that challenges us to go in directions we might not have thought about.”
