• New Zealand universities report rising student interest in artificial intelligence courses, with higher enrolments expected next year.
• Auckland University is planning to expand places on programmes next year to meet growing demand.
• Generative AI tools like ChatGPT have significantly increased interest in AI-related degrees and courses.

New Zealand universities are experiencing increasing student interest in studying artificial intelligence courses, and enrolment numbers are expected to be even higher next year.

Many are also noticing more students from fields outside computer science are interested, as societal awareness of AI technology grows.

Multiple universities are now offering a masters degree in the subject, alongside AI-related courses dating back to the 1990s or early 2000s.

Victoria University of Wellington has offered a Master of Artificial Intelligence since 2021 and in 2023 launched a new undergraduate major in the topic as part of the Bachelor of Science.

Programme Director Dr Andrew Lensen said the masters is one of the largest taught (non-thesis) masters at the university, with more than 30 students enrolled this year.

Enrolment numbers have also risen in other undergraduate and postgraduate courses. The first-year introduction course has about 230 students this year, an increase of 50 per cent compared with 2023. Lensen is expecting close to 300 next year.

The university is seeing a significantly higher number of applications for such courses in 2025, than compared with 2024 applications.

Lensen said they are also seeing an increase in interest from students outside of computer science – such as from the health, geography, ecology and law fields.

After running postgraduate programmes in AI for the first time this year, Auckland University is planning to expand places next year to accommodate growing demand.

The university runs a Master of Artificial Intelligence degree, alongside a postgraduate certificate and diploma.
Professor Yun Sing Koh, from the School of Computer Science, said this year they ran a cohort of around 30 students and had numerous enrolment enquiries.

The University of Canterbury has been offering a Master of Artificial Intelligence degree for the past two years.

Professor Richard Green, who leads it, said they chose to offer the degree course in response to high demand from students and the technology industry. Currently, 18 students are enrolled.

“Interest in the masters degree has been huge as many graduates realise just how many AI-related jobs are available in the industry,” he said.

Green notes enrolments have noticeably increased since the rise of generative AI tools such as ChatGPT.

The University of Waikato has also launched a masters degree on the subject, with first enrolments expected next year. It has offered an introductory undergraduate paper in AI since the early 2000s.

A spokesperson said they are used to seeing interest from their computer science students but are now noticing an interest from students with degrees in related fields, such as data analytics, as well.

AUT has been teaching AI in some form since its inception in 2000, and this year had just under 700 students taking AI-related courses.

This number has increased steadily since 2017, when there were 355 students in these courses, a spokesperson said.

Vice-Chancellor Damon Salesa said generative AI has helped spark increased interest.

AUT is also working towards incorporating the use of AI across its entire curriculum and assessments.

“We have to produce graduates who are capable of using AI and can arrive on day one within industry, or in creating their own jobs, and make a difference using AI,” Salesa said.

The University of Otago has a Master of Applied Science in Artificial Intelligence and teaches several undergraduate papers in AI and related topics.

Head of the School of Computing, Associate Professor Grant Dick, said the level of student interest is high – the 300-level AI paper is their most popular, with about 100 students enrolled each year. Postgraduate papers typically have 25-35 enrolments.

He said interest from both students and employers has grown substantially in the last decade, and they are seeing more graduate roles specifically looking for data science and AI skills.

Dick said AI has been a fundamental part of computing science since its inception, and teaching the subject has been a natural reaction to how the field of computing has evolved. However, the masters degree and a level three paper are a “response to a perceived need and general awareness of AI concepts in society,” he said.

Massey University said it offers a number of courses that address aspects of AI, dating back to 1994.

Lincoln University was asked about its AI courses but did not respond before publication.

Shannon Johnstone is a journalist at Newstalk ZB based in Auckland covering education and general news. She joined Newstalk ZB in 2021 and previously worked at Hawke’s Bay Today.