Artificial Intelligence for Beginners

Artificial intelligence is no longer the future — it’s the present. From education to arts, healthcare to finance, and agriculture to national security, AI is reshaping every industry and every corner of our economy and society. AI has rapidly progressed from narrow domains to multipurpose chatbots to agentic AI systems. A recent survey conducted by the SAS Institute found that 86% of all organizations surveyed — combining private, public, and nonprofit sectors — are either using AI or have plans for using AI in the near future. Another survey revealed that 86% of private sector organizations now rely on AI agents for daily operations. 

While some believe AI may displace jobs, recent studies speak to the potential of AI to find applications in most job categories. Consequently, AI looks set to reshape work as we know it, where individuals with AI-skills look set to replace those without these skills across many sectors of the economy. Accordingly, the U.S. Department of Labor recently released an AI Literacy Framework to guide the design and deployment of AI literacy efforts across the nation.

Given this context, the Center for Future of Work Places and Practices (CFWPP) has developed a three-week summer program for high school students that will provide an in-depth exposure to machine learning, AI, and Generative AI. The course will include modules on Foundations of AI, ML, GenAI; Building ML/AI Model; and AI in Society: Advantages, Opportunities, Limitations, and Ethical Concerns. 

This immersive online synchronous program will give students their first real look at how AI systems work, how machine learning models learn from data, and how these technologies are applied to solve real-world problems. Students will move beyond passive observation and engage with AI tools and ideas that are shaping our world.

In terms of the AI Literacy Framework, this course will cover all the foundational content areas of AI literacy and three of the effective delivery principles of AI literacy including enabling experiential learning, building complementary human skills, and creating pathways for continued learning.