Increasingly, AI is everywhere. By now, you’ve probably heard that AI will impact most industries. In fact, the number of AI- and data-related roles across all industries has more than doubled since 2015. At AI4ALL, we see that AI’s influence will extend far beyond the commercial sector, though. A recent Gallup poll found that 85% of Americans already use AI in contexts like navigation apps, music and movie streaming, and smart home devices.
We believe that even people who aren’t developing AI will need to have some level of AI literacy.
This need for AI literacy is more urgent than ever, because AI-related technologies may already be impacting the information we receive, the loans we are granted, and the ads we see, just to name a few examples. Despite this, most AI training out there is built for engineers or those already on a technical path and is not built with inclusion at the forefront with entry-level audiences in mind. In many cases, computer science education is simply inaccessible to those that don’t already know where to find it. In the US, only 40% of K-12 schools offer some type of computer science education. For many places outside the US, access to CS education is even sparser, which means that many people are being left out of this important innovation globally.
That’s why we’re excited to announce the AI4ALL Open Learning program, a free, approachable, and online AI curriculum launching in 2019 with the support of a $1M grant from Google.org.
This online curriculum will provide a free, culturally responsive, and globally available introduction to AI that is suitable both for people interested in developing AI literacy as well as those interested in pursuing a technical career. The curriculum approaches AI from a social impact and ethical lens and includes approachable and relevant technical tutorials, in-person classroom activities, and project opportunities for learners.
Through AI4ALL’s Open Learning program and our commitment to global impact and accessibility, we hope to enable millions of people new to AI to get exposure and hands-on practice with AI over the next 5 years.
Become part of the movement by signing up today to get notified when this program launches in 2019.
Read more about this grant and the learners it will support on Google’s blog and in USA Today.