In today’s rapidly evolving technology landscape, AI stands at the forefront of innovation and is already beginning to reshape the way we live, work, and interact. It is imperative that individuals from all backgrounds begin to develop strong foundational AI skills to understand and navigate the next digital revolution.
Are You AI Ready?
The Cisco Networking Academy UK & Ireland recently ran a 6-week ‘Are You AI Ready’ programme to tackle this knowledge and skills challenge head-on.
Learners had the opportunity to join the Cisco Networking Academy Introduction to Modern AI course with weekly webinars led by AI experts from across industry and academia. The course culminated in a project-based competition where they developed a business case for an AI education assistant.
The goal of the programme was to empower more students to use AI in their daily lives, while putting a strong emphasis on risks and ethical considerations such as hallucinations and bias. The webinars sought to showcase real-life applications of AI and spotlight broader topics such as AI in Cybersecurity.
Building an education assistant
In the final week of the project, students were tasked with developing a business case for an AI education assistant. They were asked to consider the potential strengths and limitations of their AI assistant, key functionalities and how they address current educational needs, ethical risks, and additional considerations around cost and market competition.
The top five students progressed to a live final where they presented their business case to a panel of four Cisco judges. The judges were highly impressed the students’ work, in particular the way in which ethical considerations and potential solutions were presented.
Congratulations to our finalists:
- Nhi Le, Ada the National College for Digital Skills
- Laura Kirby, the Willink School
- Resul Tota, Ada the National College for Digital Skills
- Reese McCaughey, South West College
- Mekyla Fernandes, West London College
Special congratulations to the winner, Laura Kirby! Laura’s AI education assistant, HannaH, was awarded the top spot with the judges highlighting the unique and important challenge her AI assistant addressed, as well as Laura’s superb presentation skills. As a prize, Cisco will visit Laura’s school to run an AI-themed workshop.
Food for thought
AI presents both enormous opportunities and challenges. As it continues to shape the future, it’s crucial that diverse voices and perspectives are represented in its development and application and that ethical considerations are front and centre. AI systems are only as biased or unbiased as the data and algorithms they are built on. By involving a diverse set of learners and future AI practitioners, we can work towards minimising biases in AI systems and ensuring that they serve the needs of all communities.
The Cisco Networking Academy is more than just a training platform; it is a programme that champions diversity, inclusion, and accessibility, recognising these as key components in driving meaningful and ethical advancements in AI. By empowering a group of learners with the skills to succeed in the AI field, we are paving the way for a future where technology serves everyone equitably.
We’re planning more Cisco Networking Academy AI courses so stay tuned!
You can learn more about the Cisco Networking Academy and access a plethora of free digital skills training at netacad.com.
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