UNT Launches AI College After $20 Million Gift from Alumnus and Spouse

The University of North Texas is launching a new college dedicated to artificial intelligence and advanced analytics following a $20 million donation from alumnus Vikas Sinha and his spouse, Anuradha Sinha. The gift establishes the Anuradha and Vikas Sinha College of Artificial Intelligence and Advanced Analytics, which is designed to train students to build, govern, and responsibly apply AI technologies.

The funding is structured through six permanent endowments. These funds will support college leadership, scholarships, and endowed professorships, while also providing resources for advanced research and business incubation. Vikas Sinha, who earned a Ph.D. in information science from UNT in 2023, currently serves as the vice president of the Mainframe Software Division at Broadcom.

A Pattern of Philanthropy

This contribution is the latest in a series of significant investments by the Sinhas into the university's technical infrastructure. In 2024, the couple funded the Anuradha and Vikas Sinha Department of Data Science with a $3 million gift, followed by a $2.15 million donation in 2025 to establish the Sinha Innovation Lab for Data Science.

By expanding their support from a single department and lab to an entire college, the donors are helping UNT scale its capacity for high-level technical education. "Artificial intelligence will be one of the defining technologies of our generation," Vikas Sinha said, noting that universities have an essential role in preparing those who will shape the future of the field.

Industry and Academic Impact

The establishment of the college positions UNT as a competitive hub for AI education, shifting the focus from merely using existing AI tools to creating the "builders and stewards" of future intelligent systems. This move reflects a broader academic trend toward integrating AI governance and ethics into technical curricula to ensure the technology is deployed safely.

UNT President Harrison Keller emphasized the urgency of this transition, stating that AI is rapidly changing how research is conducted and how problems are solved. He noted that universities carry an important responsibility to help shape the trajectory of these advancements.

Future Outlook

As the college begins its operations, the focus will shift toward filling the endowed professorships and launching the scholarship programs funded by the endowments. The university will now look to integrate this new college into its broader academic ecosystem, though the specific timeline for the first graduating class of the AI college remains to be seen. Observers will be watching how the business incubation component of the gift translates into local tech startups and industry partnerships in the North Texas region.