Concerns about AI are understandable, but they may also be a bit over-reported. There are many dangers to be wary of. But don't let that blind you to the myriad possibilities. Many of them are discussed in this AI-focused issue. GT. We set out to explore the current state of AI and how state and local governments can incorporate it into the work they do for their constituents. But let's also think about the broader implications of AI.
Cynthia Breazeal is the founder and director of the Personal Robotics Group at the MIT Media Lab. Brezeal is widely known as a pioneer in the field of social robotics, where she drives innovations in robotics that allow robots to learn and respond to social cues and create advanced connections with humans. She also works with universities to advance understanding of AI across the workforce and across K-12 education through her program called MIT RAISE, which stands for Responsible AI for Social Empowerment and Education. I am leading the effort.
The emphasis on upskilling today's workforce correlates with the rapid growth in the number of skilled employees needed to build the next generation of innovations, including AI. And these numbers continue to trend upwards, with CompTIA reporting that AI jobs or jobs requiring AI skills will increase by 2,000 between December 2023 and January 2024. Increased.
But the Brezeal and MIT RAISE programs are also focused on fostering understanding for kids who are years away from the workforce. This May, the third annual AI Day will provide educators and their students around the world with a free AI curriculum developed by MIT to help them get an early start. Momentum is increasing. The program reports that to date, her 10,000 educators have used it with their students.
“We truly live in an era where AI is transforming everything,” Breazeal said in a video on the RAISE website. “The way we work in fields like science, climate change, medicine and all forms of technology is changing. It is driving economies around the world, and in some cases, perhaps not by design, it is changing the way we work in fields like science, climate change, medicine and all forms of technology. are producing outcomes that are not as fair and beneficial as they had hoped.”
These unintended consequences increase the need for AI education about both the technology's potential and pitfalls.
Curriculum developers at MIT are creating age-appropriate, hands-on experiences to help kindergarteners understand what AI is and what it can do. Young children can also be introduced to robotics by designing their own robots.
Children ages 8 to 10 are taught the basics of machine learning by exploring data sets and how they can be used to generate algorithms and predictions. The curriculum for this age group includes a discussion of how to prevent human rights violations by AI.
Middle school students develop AI literacy skills through exposure to AI in stories, pictures, and music. They will learn how to use AI to create their own art and how to detect deepfakes and other AI-generated content. You can also program your own computer games with AI characters that get better at the game over time.
High school level AI curricula provide detailed explanations of how technology is used on social media platforms. Students will take a deep dive into Amazon's Alexa voice assistant to learn how user recommendations are generated and how voice AI technology works. Additional advanced lessons are available for computer science students that explore image classification, the Python programming language, and AI bias detection.
It is becoming increasingly clear that a basic understanding of AI serves many valuable purposes for today's students, whether or not they are oriented toward some aspect of computer science.
In a recent interview with Success magazine, Brezeal summarized the worthwhile goals for tomorrow's workforce when it comes to AI: “Once they feel like they have a voice and can make it happen, they become more optimistic and hopeful.”
This article was originally published in the March 2024 issue of the magazine. government technology magazine. Click here to view the complete digital version online.
