Last year, the Johannes Kepler University Linz was pleased to congratulate the first graduate of the Master's degree program in Artificial Intelligence and this year, the first undergraduate student has just passed his final examinations. Gernot Zöcklein not only completed the six-semester Bachelor’s degree program in a timely manner, but with outstanding results as well.

Program director Prof. Sepp Hochreiter (Institute for Machine Learning) is delighted and remarked: "Mr. Zöcklein always stood out as an outstanding student during class. We are pleased and extremely proud to produce graduates like him who will undoubtedly make further advancements in the field of Artificial Intelligence, in both research and development." Deputy chair, Dr. Johannes Kofler, added, "The AI program continues to be popular in terms of enrollment. The program is international and courses are taught entirely in English. We also incorporate many distance learning elements. Hundreds of other graduates will soon follow in Gernot Zöcklein’s footsteps."

The six-semester program is unique in Austria and students are given a well-rounded education in mathematics and computer science before specific topics, such as machine learning or artificial intelligence, are introduced.

JKU Rector Meinhard Lukas is pleased with the success of the JKU’s AI program and remarked: "When it comes to future technology, we cannot overestimate the importance of Artificial Intelligence. The fact that countries and corporations are racing against each other in this field is no coincidence. By offering this degree program, the JKU is initiating an enormously important step to ensure that Austria does not fall behind in this decisive and pivotal field of research. I would like to not only congratulate Prof. Hochreiter and his team for their trailblazing work, but also our first graduate."

We spoke with graduate Gernot Zöcklein about why he chose to study AI and why he felt well mentored at the JKU.

What made you decide to study AI at the JKU?
Gernot Zöcklein: The main decision to study here was that the JKU has excellent research groups in the field of artificial intelligence.

How much prior education in the field did you have?
Gernot Zöcklein: I didn't have any prior education in this area. I went to a high school that actually focuses on languages.

Would you recommend the program to others?
Gernot Zöcklein: I would recommend the program to anyone interested in AI and those who want to learn from leading researchers.

How were the support services?
Gernot Zöcklein: The support was outstanding and I believe you can only get this kind of support at only a handful of other universities. The faculty members took time to answer each and every question and you could really feel their enthusiasm on the subject.

How does it feel to be Austria’s first graduate of the Bachelor’s in AI?
Gernot Zöcklein: I took my courses in a slightly different order than intended and that’s why I just happen to be the first graduate of the program. In this regard, I’m just happy to have earned my Bachelor’s degree.

Did you work in addition to completing your studies and if so, where?
Gernot Zöcklein: Last summer I worked in Germany for 3 months in the field of data science and during the past Winter Semester, I worked a few hours a week as a student assistant at the JKU’s Institute for Computational Perception. Otherwise, I didn’t really work during my studies.

What's next for you?
Gernot Zöcklein: In September, I plan to start a Master's degree in Data Science at the ETH in Zurich. I want to focus primarily on the theoretical/mathematical aspects of AI and Data Science.

AI is a controversial topic, everything from creating “Terminators” to being a miraculous ‘cure-all’ to all of our problems. What do you think about AI’s potential?
Gernot Zöcklein: AI is controversial, just like crypto currencies, the "Internet of Things", and many types of technologies introduced in the past. While AI is already incredibly useful in some areas, such as speech processing, we are lightyears away from any kind of “Terminator” or a utopia (or dystopia?) created by AI. Nevertheless, researchers, including those at JKU, are discovering new AI applications at an impressive pace. I believe this technology has great potential.

About Gernot Zöcklein

Born in Hainburg an der Donau in Lower Austria, Gernot Zöcklein, 21, lived in Linz during his studies but soon he will continue his academic pursuits in Zurich. His hobbies include philosophy, mathematics, running, and now a newfound interest to learn Russian.