SAVANNAH, Ga. — In a significant educational advancement, Savannah State University (SSU) has been chosen as one of 30 institutions to join the IBM SkillsBuild AI Freshmen HBCU Initiative. This program is specifically designed to provide students with essential skills in artificial intelligence.

As part of this initiative, all freshmen at SSU must enroll in the three-hour IBM course titled “Getting Started with Artificial Intelligence.” This course has been integrated into SSU’s First-Year Experience curriculum and offers an introduction to AI, its practical applications, and the ethical questions surrounding it.

Marcus S. Cox, the provost and vice president of academic affairs at SSU, stated, “By implementing this initiative across the campus, we open up access to more than 1,000 free courses, paid micro-internships, mentoring opportunities, and personalized learning paths that are aligned with real-world job roles.”

Upon completion of the introductory course, students can explore over 1,000 additional learning opportunities offered by IBM, further enhancing their educational and professional prospects.