“DA Voices” is a recurring feature used to spotlight De Anza College’s diverse community voices. We ask the same question to different people and arrange their quotes so that readers can see varying points of view.
This time, La Voz reporters Katherine Fritz, Hayden Rush and Teymur Khanlarov asked, “What do you think of De Anza’s new artificial intelligence major?”
Marina Lebedeva, 40, ESL student, said the new AI major is useful and innovative.
“We need to step together with modern times,” Lebedeva said.
Colin Palmitos, 20, nursing major, said the AI major’s effectiveness depends on how the college implements it.
“I cannot speak for a computer science major, but it should be fine,” Palmitos said.
Nursen Ergeshov, 21, computer science major, said he did not hear of the new degree before but it “offers a needed depth” to the department.
“Students will like it,” Ergeshov said. “A hundred percent.”
Itzel Licon, 20, environmental studies major, said the AI major will have more negative impacts than positive.
“It’ll take away from anything that needs any sort of creativity or imagination,” Licon said.
David Arroyo, 18, mechanical engineering major, said he didn’t hear much about the major but thinks AI will negatively impact writing majors.
“It’s going to be a major flaw for students,” Arroyo said.
Ben Austin-Lane, 21, geology major, said having an AI major seems contentious.
“To have an AI major when we already have computer science feels a little imbalanced,” Austin-Lane said. “A lot of common majors are missing here.”
Freliedel Pinaza, 19, aerospace engineering major, said the major was relevant to students.
“A major on AI is like getting our foot in the door,” Pinaza said. “It’s a learning tool, not a thinking tool.”
Maxwell Robinson, 20, film and video major, said the college introducing AI courses is “no different than introducing computers to work.”
“It’s like when my mom was working in the late 80s,” Robinson said. “At the end of the day, it’s just another step forward.”
Jia Heng Shu, 20, nursing major, said she believes the new major will be useful for students.
“Computer science, electrical engineering, the data science majors, they want to study AI,” Shu said.
