Purdue University's next batch of freshmen will be subjected to a surprising new requirement, according to a Forbes contributor.
Last Friday, a university press release introduced a new graduation requirement starting in 2026: "AI working competency."
Purdue's announcement identified five "areas" — Learning with AI, Learning about AI, Research AI, Using AI, and Partnering in AI — in which undergrads would be expected to demonstrate proficiency.
Artificial intelligence has been a prominent social and economic topic throughout 2025, and its impact on education, particularly at the university level, has been disruptive.
In October, the journal Nature observed that institutions were "embracing" AI and questioned whether it would accelerate learning or sabotage it. Recent editorials in Current Affairs and the Guardian postulated that AI was "undermining" education.
Just as AI began firmly planting itself in school systems, parents of younger students began to distrust the technology's role in education, and college professors have vocally objected to its use and its potential to erode skill and knowledge.
The yet-to-be-seen impact of AI on education at all levels is just one of the controversies dogging this emerging technology. Market experts have warned that the AI "arms race" is little more than a bubble, a concern Google's CEO acknowledged had merit.
Rising electricity costs were another big news story in 2025, and a sharp increase in energy bills has repeatedly been linked to the AI data center boom.
Much of the United States' electricity is generated by burning fossil fuels, meaning these costs are paid not just in currency but also in increased harmful carbon pollution. Data centers also strain water resources, but tech firms are slow to disclose these impacts.
On the other hand, AI has shown promise for improving environmental problems, and if managed sustainably, the technology could cause less harm and more good. Research found AI could boost crop yields and perhaps eliminate supply chain waste efficiently.
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Absolutely 💯 In academia, however, Purdue University's announcement was met with widespread scorn, in no small part because AI has acquired a reputation for supercharging plagiarism, particularly in scholarly and creative settings.
Social media users were also skeptical of Purdue's new commitment to AI.
"The concept of demonstrating 'competency' in a tool that's primarily a shortcut for incompetent people," a user who linked to the Forbes piece lamented.
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