@ucbalumnus is 100 percent correct.
Others. I was responding to the ops direct question. If he was choosing between those two schools only.
And perhaps despite his desire for the higher level mathematics and ai he still perhaps wants a degree from an Ivy or top lac instead of a public uni. Not my choice but that’s what I would guess. He seemed it was very important to draw the distinction. If he is in state, it’s super common for a top student to perceive the flagship as not “hard enough” to get into or doesn’t sound elite enough. We are surrounded by so many top schools it’s easy to get caught up in the hype.
Or it’s costs.