The University of Southern California said Tuesday that it would use a venture capitalist’s $200 million donation to apply artificial intelligence across academic disciplines.

The contribution comes as universities across the country are weighing how to incorporate A.I. into their curriculums and research programs and considering how the fast-changing technology could upend demand for higher education itself.

U.S.C. said it expected some of the money would go toward building computing power. Most, though, was earmarked to attract new faculty members who would infuse A.I. into areas like health care, cybersecurity and, crucially in Los Angeles, the arts.

“The focus is really thinking universitywide about how these world-class A.I. researchers can extend knowledge and excellence in these other fields,” Beong-Soo Kim, U.S.C.’s president, said in an interview.

Like many universities considering their role as A.I. rises, U.S.C.’s plan reflects an emphasis on practical uses of the emerging technology rather than under-the-hood development. Mr. Kim signaled that the university understood that it would be difficult for any school to rival the private sector’s computing resources. Universities should devote attention to “areas where they can add distinctive value,” he said.

He added that U.S.C. would “think about how A.I. can really be used in a way that accelerates our research and our teaching in areas outside of traditional engineering.”