Grad Trends: Data Shows Spike in AI Grad Program Interest

The community at The GradCafe asked for more information about graduate admission trends. So we asked a data scientist to look at the data. This email shares initial findings.

Data Shows Spikes in AI Grad Program Applications

Newly released graduate school admissions data shows the percentage of annual graduate applications related to artificial intelligence is increasing, making up between 0.2% and 0.4% of all graduate applications on record (from The GradCafe’s database of more than 840,000 survey submissions). This more than doubles the rate of interest seen between 2013-2015.

While artificial intelligence might seem like a buzzword, it’s paramount for any business that plans to thrive in the next ten years. Rising interest in AI programs from master's and doctorate-seeking graduate students began in 2016 with an additional spike in 2018.

“We reviewed trends relating to machine learning, deep learning, NLP, computer vision, and other AI-related terms. What we found is no surprise; we’re seeing elevated interest across these topics,” says Dr. Robert Johns, Data Scientist at The GradCafe.

If you find this information helpful, please share the newsletter. We anticipate a deeper dive into the most recent season’s admission trends coming soon.

The Changing Landscape of AI Grad Programs

We also considered how the subject of these graduate programs changed. Their names provide one insight into each program’s focus, and a trend in naming conventions shows how the industry has evolved.

Over the past ten years, the conversation shifted away from the popular “machine learning” label into the more general title of “artificial intelligence”.

And note that computer vision spiked in 2015.

How Graduate Admissions Data Affects the Working World

When we evaluate graduate admissions data, we always consider the working world. Consider self-driving cars. In a 2016 report, Stanford cited transportation as one of the most salient industries for artificial intelligence.

The GradCafe’s graduate admissions data reflects that.

Tesla’s first “autopilot” feature rolled out in late 2015. (Note the spike of interest in “computer vision” grad programs that coincides with Tesla’s announcement.) And in 2016, graduate admissions for AI programs surged. That number continued to climb well before the release of chat-GPT, which launched in 2022.

The surge of applications for artificial intelligence graduate programs mirrors a real-world drive to enhance every industry. After all, artificial intelligence isn’t a monolith. It encompasses machine learning, natural language processing, computer vision, and many other intricacies. 

A Move Toward Artificial Intelligence

As interest in artificial intelligence has grown, so too have graduate admissions in related programs. For years, universities have offered courses on natural language processing, machine learning, and computer vision.

Now we’re seeing a trend where more applicants apply to graduate programs focused specifically on artificial intelligence.

Have you applied to a grad program this season? Please remember to submit your survey when you hear back with an acceptance, rejection, or waitlist.

Thanks for being part of the community at The GradCafe!