Coming soon
College of Computing and Artificial Intelligence
The future of learning, research, discovery, and leadership in the age of AI
A new era for computing and AI at UW–Madison
Technology is transforming every aspect of society—including health care and agriculture, education and science, business and entrepreneurship, and the arts and humanities. At the core of this technological shift are computing and artificial intelligence, which are rapidly shaping how we live, work, innovate, and learn.
To drive forward research and education in this space, UW–Madison is working toward creating a new College of Computing and Artificial Intelligence (CAI), a reorganization of the School of Computer, Data & Information Sciences (CDIS) into a standalone college. The college will be the first new academic division at UW–Madison since 1983 and will build upon decades of investment in scholarship, research, and teaching and the university’s strengths in computer, data, library and information sciences and statistics.
It will also build upon the continuing success of CDIS, formed within the College of Letters & Science (L&S) in 2019 to increase educational offerings for students, improve the profile and research output of faculty, and prepare students for the workforce. In recent years, enrollment in CDIS programs has significantly increased, housing some of the largest and fastest-growing disciplines on campus, including Computer Sciences, Data Science, and Information Science.
CAI is expected to serve as a scholarly hub for the rest of campus and carry forward many core values from L&S, including intellectual curiosity, interdisciplinarity, access for undergraduates across the university (not just those majoring in CAI disciplines), and serving as a catalyst for impactful cross-campus partnerships. These values are especially important as the university helps inform how society benefits from AI and reckons with its challenges, considering it as a technological tool with vast problem-solving potential while also confronting its significant moral and ethical implications.
Every major industry in the state and beyond, from agriculture to manufacturing and health care, is expected to be shaped by AI in the coming decade. The new college will help provide talent pipelines, research partnerships, and statewide outreach to help Wisconsin lead in this transformation.
A path forward
With a vote by the UW Board of Regents on Dec. 4, 2025, UW–Madison was granted the authority to create a new college.
The next several months will involve continued engagement with university governance and additional cross-campus consultation process to shape and hone further aspects of its creation.
An official announcement of the new college is anticipated in spring 2026 with an expected operating start of July 1, 2026.
This will be about more than simply building a new academic unit. We will be shaping a future where UW–Madison leads in innovation while advancing knowledge for the common good. We want to prepare UW–Madison students for a world where computing and technology intersect with every profession and discipline, from patient care to teaching, biomedical research to the humanities.
Frequently asked questions
Students will follow the established curriculum and policies that were in place at the time they declared or were admitted to a program. We expect students will benefit from additional educational and research opportunities and more information will be provided as it becomes available.
Choosing names is difficult, and many faculty, staff, alumni, and students were consulted. A “College of Computing” is one typical name, seen at several peer schools, and indeed, computing is a broad domain that connects Computer Sciences, the Information School, and Statistics.
However, in creating a “next-generation” college of computing, it is increasingly clear that artificial intelligence is emerging from being a subdiscipline of computer science and statistics into a broad domain that connects many intellectual disciplines together. After careful consideration, the name “College of Computing and Artificial Intelligence (CAI)” became a natural choice, signifying both our roots in computing and our AI-driven future.
There’s no question that AI is a significant disruptive and transformative force in the world today and we expect its influence to be pervasive and enduring.
Initially, the new college should draw primarily on resources transferred from CDIS’s existing budget within the College of Letters & Science, including pulling from existing administrative structures. It will also secure private corporate and individual philanthropic support, a significant amount of which is expected to be announced in early 2026. The college will take a lean start-up approach, limiting the need for new positions, following best practices for financial responsibility.
Learn more
Interested in the current offerings within the School of Computer, Data & Information Sciences?