[Kappers]

I'm facing quite a difficult and influential decision, which is deciding what I study at university. I have obviously settled with the idea of Computer Science, however in some scenarios have the option to branch towards a specialization after the first undergraduate year. I am obviously incredibly keen on artificial intelligence as an area of the science, thankfully I would be able to study it at many universities of my choice! Regardless of this, I questioned my choice, as I started to wonder about the employment possibilities if not becoming an academic post-university. I had in fact settled with the concept of studying courses such as "Games, Vision and Interaction" / "Games, Vision and Virtual Environment" seeing as I enjoy the creative side of Computer Science and have been convinced employment possibilities would be greater. I would love to find a balance between the two though, but I doubt there'll be great graphical exploration in AI courses, and I don't think the AI covered in most Computer Science (including game design) courses will explore it in the depth I would desire  .....

I don't know if I've properly conveyed my concerns, however at the moment I feel like it's weighing up trade offs, and I haven't been able to get enough advice about what post-university life has in store for individuals who have studied AI! I would highly appreciate if someone could shed some wisdom for me?

[DaveMorton]

My response to this is "Why not do both?" Granted, it will both take longer, and cost more, but I don't see the necessity of "either/or", except from a time/cost basis, and those factors can be mitigated considerably, depending on your level of motivation.

Just my 2 pence worth.

[Art]

I highly agree with GCC and providing you apply for many scholarships (billions of $$'s go uncollected/unrewarded each year), you could possibly do both. They wouldn't have to be simultaneous but could be concurrent if desired and taking into account the financial stability of your pocketbook.

There was an old saying, "Do what you love and the money will follow." In some instances that holds true but remember for every Thomas Kincaid, there's a starving artist who can barely afford to be new paint tubes.

Drive and determination will help carry you far and it's OK to dream the bigger dream in your life and don't listen to the naysayers who try to dissuade you from reaching your potential.

By the time you complete a Com-Sci degree with a speciality in AI or advanced programming, the world will likely be even more ready for someone like you!!
Don't forget about the future that combines AI, computers, programming, mechanical engineering, electrical, etc., all in one...
ROBOTICS!! It is your future, Tom!! - It would be a great choice or at least a good direction to point your sights!! Best of all worlds!

Go for your dreams & Good Luck in whatever you decide!!

You're only young once....

[Freddy]

When do you need to decide by ?  If it was me and I had that time over again and with all the new things on offer these days I think I would go down the game route.  I think that would give more options in a big industry and an industry that is big all over the world. Plus it might be a heck of a lot of fun and very interesting work. Ai is used a lot in modern games of course, things like path finding, strategy and so on...and with a more general knowledge of programming/computer science you need not be restricted in other fields.

If you like being creative then I urge you to choose something that will fulfil that desire. It's hell to be stuck doing something that you get no satisfaction from and I know that from personal experience.

How about you contact the Dean of the Computer Science school and arrange to meet someone who can give you a better idea of the courses on offer and their prospects.  They will be some of the best people to speak to and they will likely know a lot about how things turned out for their previous students.

Or like Dave and Art says, do both !

[Kappers]

Thanks for the advice all, I wish it was possible, but I don't think I'll be able to go through two courses with the new raised costs of university education in the UK. However I'm sure most universities may allow optional and free admission to some specialized lectures after the first year, of course you are only expected to attend compulsory lectures, but in theory others should be open.

If I am to label myself under one specialized course, which in some cases is decided prior to university entrance and some after the first year, I guess I should settle with games and interaction. I think it should provide me with a platform whereby I will be able to explore AI on top of heavily creative computing, and in my opinion it'd be very surprising if we didn't see games increasingly revolved around high level AI! If I was to go down this path, I may finally be able to create what I've wanted to create for ages, a emotion driven dynamic game!

I think you're right about contacting a Professor at a relevant university, but unfortunately when asking about this in the past they weren't able to say much other than "It's impossible to make a decision such as this one and conclude with no regrets". To an extent this will be the case, but I would have liked them to almost be statistical when discussing employment opportunities post-university.

[infurl]

I think you're right about contacting a Professor at a relevant university, but unfortunately when asking about this in the past they weren't able to say much other than "It's impossible to make a decision such as this one and conclude with no regrets". To an extent this will be the case, but I would have liked them to almost be statistical when discussing employment opportunities post-university.

By all means seek the opinions of others, but ultimately you have to go with whatever seems to fit you the best. Also, don't be afraid to reassess a choice which doesn't seem to be working. If you are serious about this, then you're education isn't going to end with a university or even a post-graduate degree. I turn 50 this year but I still spend a significant portion of *every* day studying and updating my knowledge from a combination of books and sources on the internet. There is an ever increasing number of tertiary level courses available via the internet, and in many cases the course material if freely available.

FWIW there is also http://www.khanacademy.org/

[Art]

While his education might not end with the awarding of a degree, most employers or prospective employers are far more interested in seeing the paper degree than hearing about all the subjects he studyed on the Internet (no credits awarded for self study....).

Experience and knowledge is really key but the company heads still want to see the sheepskin!

Personally, I've learned far more since I left school some light years ago...but that's another story!

[infurl]

While his education might not end with the awarding of a degree, most employers or prospective employers are far more interested in seeing the paper degree than hearing about all the subjects he studyed on the Internet (no credits awarded for self study....).

Experience and knowledge is really key but the company heads still want to see the sheepskin!

Personally, I've learned far more since I left school some light years ago...but that's another story!

So, you're saying that the only legitimate motivation for learning is earning...
That shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone I suppose, given where you live.

[infurl]

Ok here is an interesting turn of events.

The following link just turned up in my Google+ stream. (Is anyone still waiting on an invite by the way?)

http://www.ai-class.com/

This is the complete "CS221 Introduction to Artificial Intelligence" course from Stanford University, made available online simultaneously with the live lectures. It is complete in that you have access to all the same materials as students enrolled at the university: watch the lectures via video, do the same assignments, and take the same exams. With the appropriate paperwork and registration, it is also possible to get official credit for having completed the course.

The course is conducted by Sebastian Thrun (the creator of the self-driving car which won the DARPA Grand Challenge) and Peter Norvig (co-author of "Artificial Intelligence: A Modern Approach" -- if you don't have this book already, what are you doing in this forum anyway?).

[Bragi]

I waited a little before responding, but here goes.
First let me start by saying Art has a point about the paper: when you just leave school (no past experience), that paper will help you to get through that first door a lot easier + the door will most likely be a lot more attractive. In the IT sector though, after about 5 years, that little paper has mostly become worthless.

That said, if you're really serious about AI, the best advice I can give you is to study/observe people in all their glory. Experience life, live it to the fullest, meet as many different people as you can, talk to them, try to understand them and their culture, go to as many different places as you can, see how people live now and in the past. Try to understand what motivates/drives them.
Let yourself be 'baptised' (I don't know how they call it in the UK, but the principle is always the same: a ritual for getting excepted in the (student) community - usually the ritual comes in the form of consuming vast amounts of alcohol  ), even if it is just so can understand. Go to different colleges (enrolled through an exchange program or just as a visitor), try to see how each school shapes personalities,...
let your mind create as big a picture of what life is, as you can. Once you have that model, you can think about turning the process in reverse and 'create' the model you have observed.

Finally, as a kid, I had a golden rule to at least try everything once, until I figured out some 'experiences' can have longer lasting consequences, which I tried to avoid. So, the second part of my advice would be to try and find a balance while soaking up all that 'elixir of live' and avoid things you might later regret.

[Art]

So, you're saying that the only legitimate motivation for learning is earning...
That shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone I suppose, given where you live.

I made no mention of earning nor money...you did. I simply pointed out the fact,
and I'm sure it even holds true in YOUR country as well...that to get a decent job
or career or perhaps a better than decent job, one will benefit at least threefold better
if / when one has a degree.

Let me make something else clear. A degree doesn't imply intelligence, skill or knowledge...
it indicates that you can follow and grasp a course of study and demonstrat that grasp
by passing a final exam.

I know so many college educated people that basically have no common sense and very
little in the way of social skills.

So even though we, in America might seem to revolve around money, I'm quite sure that
in your country and throughout the world, money is the grease that enables the hub of
existence to turn. Haves, have little, have not...it has always been thus.

@ Bragi, yes the paper that opens many doors.

[Kappers]

The course is conducted by Sebastian Thrun (the creator of the self-driving car which won the DARPA Grand Challenge) and Peter Norvig (co-author of "Artificial Intelligence: A Modern Approach" -- if you don't have this book already, what are you doing in this forum anyway?).

I have already ordered that book, and it should be arriving in the next few days. But that is one awesome link  , I definitely think I'll be keeping up to date with that project if I'm not too busy with school. It should also provide me with a good taster of what's in store for me, in terms of AI courses at University.

I think you're bang on the money there Bragi, I do indeed want to explore how various people tick and as you said, paint a picture of life, obviously a large part of understanding AI is attempting to understand ourselves and those around us. However I doubt after university I will have time to soak up my environments, I'll be faced with a massive student debt, and knowing the Computing industry have a high chance of being immediately recruited by an employer (these days they have very strong connections with universities). Yet my question still stands, if I was to attend university next year studying artificial intelligence, what would be waiting for me on the other end of the tunnel in terms of employment opportunities? I think only time will tell, and my current "battle plan", is to basically attend every interesting lecture possible to keep all my doors open, even if it requires being a bit forceful 

Thanks for all the wisdom, I appreciate it a lot