Choosing a computer science project for a career goal can be quite a confusing and daunting task. Students must compare various parameters before opting for their final year project, as it will affect their career prospects. The project will give them an idea of the real-world implications of their learning and act as their portfolio.
Many students are interested in artificial intelligence (AI) and application development projects. Both types of projects require different skill sets, implications, and technologies. Before making a final decision, students can consider several factors such as future opportunities, resource availability, and even seek advice from mentors and working professionals. AI and app development are two independent topics within computer science. However, they appear to overlap frequently.
Also read — Top 50 Project Ideas and Topics for Computer Science Students
Here are several detailed analyses of both fields, which can help you choose between AI and app development:
Artificial Intelligence
Overview: AI focuses on creating intelligent systems that can emulate human intelligence and make decisions based on their learning over time. It consists of machine learning, reasoning, and problem-solving. It is also becoming more integrated into people’s lives. All major and minor corporations are turning to AI for comprehensive and speedy solutions.
Examples: It also offers a huge number of topics to choose from as projects, for example, projects on virtual assistants (like Alexa and Gemini), fraud detection systems, self-driving cars, recommendation systems, social media, disease diagnostics, etc. In recent years, AI has affected all spheres of work at all levels, creating various opportunities as well.
Skills required: AI requires expertise in machine learning, deep learning, natural language processing, data analysis, statistics, and computer vision. Python, R, and ML tools are considered primary skills for AI. If a student has a deep interest and a strong hold on these topics, they can go for an AI project. They must have a positive attitude towards optimising algorithms and training models. Also, it has a steep start, and a strong hold in mathematics is required. Students can use AI tools like TensorFlow.
Prospect: “The number of jobs for computer and information research scientists is expected to grow by 23 percent between 2022 and 2032, significantly outpacing the overall job market growth of 3 percent,” reports the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. This signifies that AI careers are in high demand. AI roles such as AI Engineer, Data Scientist, and ML Engineer come with competitive pay. The starting salaries are around $100K+.
Read more — The Future of Generative AI: Trends to Watch in 2025 and Beyond
Application Development
Overview: App development is about building, testing, designing, maintaining, and deploying new software applications. It is further separated into various categories, including cross-application development, cloud applications, mobile apps, and online applications. It plays a crucial role in connecting users with the information services.
Examples: The various projects that can be chosen for app development are inventory management apps, collaboration apps, project management apps, marketing, expense tracking, HRM apps, etc. Students can also opt to design numerous web pages to showcase their skills and creativity. Depending on the students’ capabilities, these can range from small and simple to complex and heavier apps.
Skills required: Students are required to have a good command of programming languages, such as Java, Swift, Kotlin, HTML/CSS, and web tools. They must understand user interface/user experience (UI/UX) aspects of digital product design. Programmers need a good knowledge of software development methodologies. Skills develop with gradual and modular learning methods. It requires basic mathematics and logical reasoning skills. Students need to be optimistic about basic programming, architectural design, and troubleshooting. Various development tools, such as Git and Docker, can be useful for app development.
Prospects: There is a need for businesses now to build custom apps related to the enterprises that can future-proof their businesses, increase collaboration and efficiency, and improve customer experiences. Full-stack developers will be in demand across industries, from startups to large tech companies, thanks to their broad skill set and flexibility. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, software developer jobs are expected to grow steadily by 22% by 2031. Careers such as front-end developer, back-end developer, and full-stack developer offer a competitive salary ranging from $60K to $90K per annum.
How to decide?
- Know your abilities and interests: If you prefer mathematical modelling, data analysis, sophisticated algorithms, and mathematical programs, you can pursue AI. And, if one prefers building user-facing products, designing, and wanting to see visible results in a short time, app development might be more appealing.
- Align with career goals: Depending on the career preference, one can choose any of them. Analyse the future possibilities, needs, and growth of both domains to make a decision.
- Evaluate the learning curve: AI needs prior knowledge of mathematics, statistics, and programming. App development can start with fundamental web technologies and grow to more intricate ones over time. AI is fast-paced, while app development is steady and continuous.
- Try smaller projects: Before selecting the major project, try out a few smaller projects for both AI and app development to get a prior idea of the process and work experience. This will help in determining strengths, weaknesses, and interests in the field-based job. Various kinds of tasks are accessible on the internet and can be completed without any assistance.
- Take guidance: In case of doubts, contact the supervisors or seniors for their input and experience to navigate through the challenges.
Conclusion
Both AI and app development are significant areas of computer science; it can be challenging to decide between them, but either of them can be chosen by keeping interest, strengths, future goals, and capabilities in mind. AI requires a strong background in knowledge and comprehension of complex mathematical expressions, while web development is a gradual learning process. According to reports, AI offers high salaries in specialised roles, while the second offers broader and more versatile roles in the IT industry.
It is also important to understand that AI is a specialised field in computer science, while app development is a broader field that encloses the creation of software applications. AI tools can be used as a tool for app development to create smarter and more user-friendly applications. Hence, there is also an increase in demand for hybrid roles where one can combine both AI and app development skills.
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