This week, the University of Southern California received a massive $200 million donation to comprehensively advance artificial intelligence education and research.
The donation comes from renowned Silicon Valley venture capitalist, NVIDIA board member, and USC Trustee Mark Stevens and his wife.
The School of Advanced Computing, part of USC's Viterbi School of Engineering, has been officially renamed the USC Mark and Mary Stevens School of Computing and Artificial Intelligence accordingly.
Source: USC
Silicon Valley Heavyweight Bets $200 Million on University AI
As a Trojan, Mark Stevens has deep ties to USC. Back in 1981, he completed a dual undergraduate degree in electrical engineering and economics at USC, then went on to earn a master's in computer engineering before completing his MBA at Harvard Business School.
This combined background in technology and business has defined his career. After graduation, he became a partner at Sequoia Capital, a top Silicon Valley venture capital firm, and participated in investing in major internet-era tech companies such as Google, Yahoo, YouTube, and NVIDIA. Today, his net worth exceeds $11 billion.
This donation is not the first act of generosity from the Stevens couple.
In 2004, they donated approximately $22 million to establish the USC Stevens Institute for Innovation, promoting technology transfer and startup incubation.
Source: USC
In 2015, they donated $50 million for brain science and neuroimaging research, establishing the USC Mark and Mary Stevens Neuroimaging and Informatics Center.
Source: USC
Last year, they also donated $10 million to USC Athletics for facility upgrades.
This year, the Stevens turned their attention to the forefront of AI, donating a staggering $200 million to support their alma mater's strategic development in artificial intelligence. Regarding AI's future impact, Mark Stevens stated plainly: "What this gift is really about is integrating AI technology and tools into every discipline."
USC's AI Ambitions
USC also hopes to use this to push AI deeper into the entire university education system, not just confined to computer science.
USC has always been one of the American universities that attracts significant attention from families considering studying abroad. When people think of USC, the first things that often come to mind are powerhouse fields like film and media. However, it also has strong capabilities in business, computer science, engineering, and maintains close ties with Silicon Valley and the tech industry.
Source: USC
From USC's perspective, this is not just a donation, but a strategic move about the future shape of the university.
The university wants AI to not just be a standalone major, but to become a foundational capability for all disciplines and industries, much like the internet. This "AI + industry" approach has already begun to permeate USC's education system.
USC is now one of the top universities in the nation for federal research funding in computer science, offering over 30 AI and computing-related undergraduate, minor, and graduate degree programs.
Among them is the recently launched Bachelor of Science in Artificial Intelligence for Business. This program is jointly offered by the Marshall School of Business and the Viterbi School of Engineering, where students study business, finance, and economics, while also systematically learning machine learning, data science, AI technology, and ethics.
Source: USC
In 2023, USC officially launched the $1 billion Frontiers of Computing initiative to expand and infuse advanced computing technologies into programs and courses across the university, accelerating innovation through novel and powerful educational and research opportunities spanning all disciplines.
The most critical step of this initiative was the establishment of the School of Advanced Computing, now officially renamed. Currently, the school has become a key hub for AI-related research, teaching, and innovation at USC.
Meanwhile, USC's AI strategy continues to advance. In the future, interdisciplinary integration of AI in healthcare, arts, business, security, and other fields is expected to deepen further. And as the university's core engineering and computing powerhouse, the Viterbi School of Engineering is likely to see its resources and influence continue to grow.
Source: USC
With the continued strengthening of the AI strategy, USC is expected to attract more applicants interested in AI interdisciplinary programs, and competition is likely to intensify.
For students aiming to break into these fields, it's advisable to start planning and preparing early, enhancing their interdisciplinary academic background or practical experience.
