California Institute of Human Sciences launches its first certified general artificial intelligence

The California Institute of Human Sciences launches the world's first master's program in general artificial intelligence

July 20, 2026, Encinitas, California-The California Institute of Human Sciences (CIHS) today announced the launch of the General Artificial Intelligence Master of Science program, the first certified graduate program specifically dedicated to the field of general artificial intelligence (AGI). The course is taught in real time online by researchers who helped create the field, including Dr. Ben Goetzer, who coined the term "General Artificial Intelligence" and founded the SingularityNET, ASI Alliance and Hyperon AGI projects.

Most artificial intelligence graduate programs focus on preparing students to master current tools and applications, while the AGI master's program focuses on the scientific, engineering, ethical and civilizational aspects of general intelligence itself, and is taught by the founders of the discipline.

"CIHS is committed to exploring cutting-edge issues-issues that require rigorous science, philosophical depth, and a solemn commitment to human well-being." Dr. Timothy Rapporte, interim director of the California Institute of Human Sciences, said,"General artificial intelligence may be one of the most far-reaching developments of our time. As AGI moves from theory to reality, the core questions of CIHS-what is intelligence, how consciousness relates to mind and technology, and how transformative knowledge can serve humanity-have never been more urgent. This project brings together founding researchers in the field with students who will help shape the future."

The institute is institutional accredited by the WSCUC (Western Colleges and Universities Committee) and is the same accreditation body as Stanford University and the California Institute of Technology.

Dr. Ben Getzer shared: "In this unprecedented era, AGI is rapidly moving from theory to practice and deployment, so we need a new generation of AGI professionals more than ever-who are not only familiar with the various technical AI paradigms and the scientific foundations behind them, but also understand where AGI meets broader issues such as consciousness, ethics, and society. Working with Gabriel Axel Montes and colleagues at CIHS to create the world's first AGI degree program, dedicated to nurturing the careers of a new generation of AGI scientists, is definitely a pleasure. We need to work with the diverse array of AGI creations to move towards a beneficial future."

Most artificial intelligence graduate programs aim to prepare students to apply current models and tools, while the AGI master's program views general artificial intelligence as a separate field of research itself, with open technical issues and a long research history, rather than a specialization under a computer science degree.

This distinction is crucial because in this era of highly saturated artificial intelligence, potential students are increasingly inclined to move beyond current specific tools when weighing graduate study and focus on issues that are more permanent than tools. The CIHS answer is that what is worth learning over time is intelligence itself: the basic questions, intellectual methods and practical methodologies that do not change with any generation of tools, and are taught by researchers whose careers have been directly devoted to these issues.

The project's teaching format is also different: it uses teacher-led real-time video courses rather than a self-paced library of pre-recorded courses. Students in the first small class will work directly with Goetzer, Iker and Montes, rather than just watching their videos.

Project Details

Form: 100% online real-time video courses (Pacific Time), taught on a quarterly basis.

Teachers: Ben Goetzer (proposed the term and concept of "AGI"; founder of SingularityNET, ASI Alliance, and OpenCog), Matthew Iker, Gabriel Axel Montes (project director and leader), and guest lectures from the SingularityNET AI research team. More teachers will be announced one after another.

Admissions: No GRE required. Application materials include transcripts, two letters of recommendation, a personal statement and a writing sample, which are reviewed on a rolling basis.

First batch of admissions: The priority application deadline is July 31, 2026; the final deadline is August 31, 2026. Course registration time is from September 7 to 18, 2026; the school season begins on September 28, 2026.

Eligibility: Open to international students in 31 U.S. states and around the world; programs are not available in all U.S. states. Potential students can contact CIHS to confirm their state's qualifications.

Tuition fee: Please consult the school for tuition information.

The first small class of students will interact directly in real time with researchers whose careers have been dedicated to defining fundamental issues of AGI.

Two information sessions will be held, hosted by Ben Goetzer and Gabriel Axel Montes, at 10:30 a.m. Pacific Time on Friday, July 24 and 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, August 13.

About the California Institute of Human Sciences

The California Institute of Human Sciences (CIHS) is a certified non-profit graduate university and research center in Encinitas, California dedicated to serious inquiry in cutting-edge areas of science, awareness, health, technology, psychology and human transformation. CIHS was established in 1992 and has long focused on basic issues such as human potential, consciousness and the nature of reality. Its newly launched Master of Science program in General Artificial Intelligence extends this mission to one of the defining areas of the 21st century, combining technical AI research with issues such as intelligence, awareness, ethics, security and the future of civilization. CIHS is accredited by the Western Colleges and Universities Committee (WSCUC).