Shaping the Future of AI Education
An Interview with Professor Omkar Terse, Neumont University BSAAI Chair
Professor Omkar Terse and Arnaud Daurat speak at Silicon Slopes Summit 2026.
Artificial intelligence is reshaping how people work, make decisions, solve problems, and prepare for careers in the tech industry. For colleges and universities, the rapid adoption rate of AI raises an urgent question: What will it take to prepare the next generation of engineers to thrive in an AI-enabled world?
Professor Omkar Terse, Chair of Neumont University’s Bachelor of Science in Applied Artificial Intelligence program, tackled these big topics in conversation with Arnaud Daurat, founder of Exxovantage and Astelia Robotics, Professor Terse discussed the future of applied AI, intelligent humanoid robotics, exoskeleton technology, and the changing demands of the technology workforce.
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Terse shares his experience working in data science, AI research, industry, and higher education, and the importance of thoughtful AI engineering. Educators must help technology students understand how artificial intelligence works, where it falls short, and how to apply it responsibly to meaningful human problems.
Beyond Theory: Putting AI to Work in the Classroom
AI can feel abstract, even when it is embedded in everyday life. Headlines about dramatic breakthroughs or sweeping job automation can make the technology seem either magical or threatening. Professor Terse emphasized that Neumont’s programs make AI approachable by helping students understand its current capabilities and limitations.
He goes on to explain that real understanding begins with practical experience. Students need opportunities to design, build, test, and improve AI-powered solutions, in addition to studying theory. Through project-based learning, they begin to understand the realities of current AI technology: incomplete data, uncertain outputs, design tradeoffs, ethical considerations, and the need to communicate technical ideas clearly.
Neumont’s applied approach also reflects the needs of the current job market. As organizations adopt AI, they are looking to hire professionals who can connect technical knowledge to real business and social challenges. Successful graduates will be able to move from an idea to an implementation, evaluate whether an automated solution works, and recognize how AI tools can improve businesses efficiency.
Keeping People at the Center of Automation
Terse and Daurat’s conversation also covered AI’s effect on human psychology and decision-making. AI systems do not exist separately from the people who create and use them; they can influence choices, shape behavior, and amplify assumptions contained in their data and design.
For future AI professionals, technical ability must therefore be paired with curiosity about human behavior and a sense of responsibility. Building an effective model is not enough. Developers must also ask who benefits, who may be excluded, what unintended effects could emerge, and how a system will function in the real world.
That human-centered perspective becomes even more important as AI moves into technologies such as humanoid robotics and exoskeletons. These innovations may expand human capabilities and improve safety, but their success will depend on thoughtful design and an understanding of the intended audience.
Professor Terse’s message points toward a vision of AI development focused on the greater social good. The strongest solutions will be the ones that apply it purposefully, with a clear understanding of the problem and the people affected.
Preparing Students to Impact an Emerging Field
Because AI is advancing so quickly, preparing students for the field requires more than a static curriculum. Universities will be successful if they remain closely connected to industry, continually evaluate which skills matter, and create opportunities for students to work on relevant problems.
Partnerships between universities and technology companies are essential to that effort. Industry partners can provide insight into emerging tools, evolving roles, and practical challenges. Universities, in turn, can develop talent with the technical depth, adaptability, and problem-solving skills needed to contribute from the beginning of their careers.
AI education must also become increasingly interdisciplinary. Real-world AI systems draw from software development, data science, mathematics, psychology, ethics, communication, design, and domain-specific knowledge. Students who can work across those boundaries will be better equipped to build technology that is both capable and useful.
Building What Comes Next
The future of AI will be shaped by the tech professionals who go all in on building a better world through intelligent automaton. AI presents extraordinary possibilities, from smarter software to intelligent robotics and human-supporting technologies. Realizing those possibilities will require professionals who are technically prepared, thoughtful about consequences, and ready to keep learning as the field changes.
For Neumont students, that preparation starts now. Through practical experience, collaboration with industry, and an education designed for the work ahead, our students are shaping the future of technology.