Drexel unveils 5,000-square-foot AI studio developed with Virginia IT company

Northern Virginia-based IT services company DXC Technology recently partnered with Drexel University’s College of Computing & Informatics (CCI) to create an applied artificial intelligence studio.

Community members from Drexel and DXC unveiled the 5,000-square-foot studio, called the DXC Applied AI Studio @ Drexel, on the 9th floor of CCI’s home at 3675 Market St. on Wednesday.

The space will be used by 100 international students in the recently launched DXC @ Drexel International Program, which brings DXC employees from around the world — this cohort comes from India, Manila, Malawi and Mexico — to participate in one of CCI’s four master’s programs: computer science, data science, information systems or software engineering.

DXC @ Drexel students will also complete Curriculum Practical Training related to their area of study, and after graduation, the students will be placed in one of DXC’s six digital transformation centers around the world.

The studio will be led by DXC Fellow and Head of AI Jerry Overton and will prominently feature DXC Technology’s applied research and “serve as a launching pad for the release of new products in AI,” the company said.

Students in the space will be able to work directly with professional scrum masters on next-gen technologies, while learning about relevant industry skills.

“The goal of this partnership is to keep Drexel’s curriculums in computer science, data science, information systems and computer engineering at the leading edge of industry standards while creating a Philadelphia presence for the international IT services company,” a Drexel spokesperson said.

DXC will also send its employees to the studio for reskilling and training, the company said. And while the space will primarily be used for the DXC @ Drexel program, “it is designed as an open space for general access to the CCI community,” a Drexel spokesperson said.

“Experiential learning connects the classroom to real-world challenges and innovations, and is the cornerstone of a Drexel education,” said CCI Dean Yi Deng. “The DXC Applied AI Studio @ Drexel brings this teaching philosophy to life while developing real AI solutions to impact our economy and society.”