USC announced a $200 million donation to accelerate a universitywide AI initiative, funded by Mark Stevens—a venture capitalist, Nvidia board member, and USC alumnus—along with his wife Mary. The gift will rename the USC School of Computing and Artificial Intelligence and fund recruitment of AI researchers and work across areas including health sciences, security, business, and the arts. USC framed the effort as a response to a global “inflection point” for AI talent and research capacity, with the new computing unit positioned to expand interdisciplinary projects and education pathways. The university also plans to introduce an artificial intelligence bachelor’s program in the fall. The size and targeted scope of the gift place USC among the most aggressive higher education investors competing for AI faculty and research infrastructure—an activity with direct implications for student pipelines, workforce alignment, and grant competitiveness.