Artificial Intelligence often conjures up thoughts of ChatGPT or Snapchat’s My AI. But when perceptions of AI are broadened, its powerful applications in academia become clear. 

USF has a college focused on AI, which is home to a wide range of research and offers courses to promote ethical AI use. This college is a testament to how a school focused on AI can create a positive and honorable impact.

USF’s College of AI, Cybersecurity and Computing was established last year as the first college of its kind in Florida. It later received a record-setting $40 million donation from Arnie and Lauren Bellini that renamed it to Bellini College of AI, Cybersecurity and Computing.

On Monday, state leaders allocated $10 million to the Bellini College in the 2025–2026 Florida state budget to support its continued development.

This $10 million will be used to build a facility to house the college, which will “foster innovation and collaboration” and “allow for the expansion of student programming,” said USF spokesperson Althea Johnson.

The state’s investment won’t just build a facility — it will help build a future where AI is ethical, impactful and grounded in human need. And that’s something all Floridians should get behind.

Related: USF’s AI, cybersecurity and computing college to be an example across the nation, leaders say

While the Bellini College was only established last year, its impact has been impressive — with over 215 articles published and $19.2 million in grants. 

The college will also get an Artificial Intelligence major in the fall that “emphasizes the principles, techniques, and applications of AI systems,” according to the USF course catalog.  

A Gallup poll found that most people continue to be wary of AI. Many Americans are concerned about the spread of false information or AI’s impact on social connections.

This weariness should increase support for the Bellini College, because one of the ways to combat the negative impacts of AI is through education. USF offers courses that directly address this. 

A course called AI in Media and Society is offered to digital communication and multimedia journalism majors. It is designed to help students recognize “exaggeration in descriptions of AI’s promise and potential risks and dangers,” according to the USF course catalog. 

The new AI major will have a required class called Ethical Issues and Professional Conduct. This course will help students not only understand ethical issues that may come up, but also help them generate practical solutions, the course catalog explains. 

Related: Professors, students unsure whether AI software is helpful, harmful

The Bellini College is also home to a wide range of research, from helping make cybersecurity more accessible to exploring the history and evolution of AI. 

AI is crucial in these research studies because it “can process and identify patterns in large, complex data,” said Thao Ho, an associate professor of pediatrics. 

Ho is currently using AI to research facial expressions, body movements and vitals in infants with the hopes of improving neonatal pain management. 

The same Gallup poll found that 61% of Americans had a positive view of AI when helping with medical diagnosis and treatment. 

Ho’s crucial work in infant pain management is just one of the examples of how this $10 million investment will make a positive impact beyond USF. 

By educating both the creators and communicators of AI through courses, the Bellini College addresses AI’s potential harm at its source. 

AI is a part of Florida’s future, and this investment affirms that USF is a pioneer in utilizing AI in both research and academics. By equipping students across disciplines, USF is helping create a more informed, responsible AI future.

If you are wary of AI, that is all the more reason to support the Bellini College. USF is doing what every university should be doing — teaching students to use AI responsibly, ethically and for the public good. 

This is exactly the kind of innovation Florida should be proud to invest in.