Stony Brook CS Students Question AI's Impact on Core Curriculum

A central question dominated the Computer Science Faculty Roundtable held at Stony Brook University on September 30: what specific knowledge do students need to retain in an era of artificial intelligence? The Department of Computer Science organized the event to address curriculum design, research boundaries, and professional development.

Faculty member Annie Liu received frequent inquiries regarding course selection. Students asked which classes would provide skills that AI cannot replicate. Liu advised students to prioritize fundamental courses and focus on general thinking patterns rather than specific material taught in the classroom. She noted that this advice was standard practice before the current wave of AI adoption.

The discussion also addressed the scope of computer science research. Sophomore Ella Figee observed that faculty work extends well beyond standard programming. Professor Chris Kane explored the intersection of computing and philosophy. Michael Bender explained that his research centers on logic and mathematics. Figee stated that seeing these diverse directions outside of pure programming was a key takeaway for her.

The session included personal interactions between students and the 13 participating faculty members. Students learned about the professors' backgrounds, home countries, and general interests. The event served as a bridge between academic instruction and the personal lives of the instructors.

The participating faculty members included Ritwik Banerjee, Michael Bender, Daniel Benz, Samir Das, Akshat Dave, Michael Ferdman, Paul Fodor, Chris Kane, Annie Liu, Kevin McDonnell, Rich McKenna, R. Sekar, and Praveen Tripathi.