Getting Started with AI: Resources For You and Your Community

By now you’ve read about artificial intelligence. Maybe it was one of those reports about jobs going away. Maybe it was about facial recognition and the loss of privacy. Maybe it was about all of the potential benefits we’re supposed to see.

We’ve assembled resources that will help you and your school and community get started with artificial intelligence.

Update your graduate profile

AI4K12 is an initiative of leading computer scientists that have identified five big ideas that every student should know about AI. Here’s a quick summary:

• Computers perceive the world using sensors.
• Agents maintain models/representations of the world and use them for reasoning.
• Computers can learn from data.
• Making agents interact naturally with humans is a substantial challenge for AI developers.
• AI applications can impact society in both positive and negative ways.

Battelle for Kids has great resources for communities that want to update their Portrait of a graduate. See a great conversation with Ken Kay on this topic.

Start an afterschool program

AI4All (@ai4allorg) is an Oakland nonprofit sponsoring after-school programs in partnership with 10 leading universities. Follow @TessPosner for more.

ReadyAI (@USReadyAI) is a Pittsburgh company that offers curriculum and sponsors The World Artificial Intelligence Competition for Youth (WAICY). CMU’s Dave Touretzky calls it “STEAM-powered AI” because it combines technology with artistry.

Global nonprofit Iridescent sponsors the AI Family Challenge which invites families to learn about Artificial Intelligence and use it to solve a problem in their community. Over 7,500 people from 13 countries participated in the first year of the program.

Start a class

AP Computer Science Principles course (launched fall 2016) offers a multidisciplinary approach to teaching the underlying principles of computation. (Discussed here in a blog on teaching data science).

The Castilleja School in Palo Alto offers a seminar-style course on AI for upper division students focused on developing a conceptual understanding of AI technology and its uses.

Renton Prep (@rentonprep) introduces all students, 6th grade and up, to computer science including AI. Check out a great new book, Teaching AI, by the head of school Michelle Zimmerman. Follow her @mrzphd  for more.

The Montour School Distirct (@MontourSD) has a middle school AI program with an ethics course developed with CMU. Follow @JustinAglio for more.

AI has broad implications. Read how it is influencing the 10 themes of social studies.

Computational thinking across the curriculum

Amon Millner describes how they teach computation at Olin College in this blog on Forbes and a podcast on Getting Smart. President Rick Miller talks about “How to be employable forever.”

South Fayette School District (next door to Montour) teaches computational thinking across the curriculum. Follow Aileen Owens (@InnovationSFSD) to learn more.

Jamie Back at Cincinnati Country Day School (@CountryDay) advocates for computational thinking and coding. Follow her (@jmeb96) to learn more.

Our favorite podcasts

• Learning Machines 101: A gentle introduction to machine learning from Richard Golden.
• Linear Digressions: Weekly discussion of big data and machine learning.
• Future of Life Institute: Weekly podcast about everything that could go wrong with AI.
• Talking Machines: Hosts Katherine Gorman and Neil Lawrence talk about machine learning and interview an industry leader every week.
• The Future of Everything: A weekly podcast from the Wall Street Journal.
• A Glimpse Into the Future: A podcast on the global economy and fourth industrial revolution from the World Economic Forum.
• 80,000 hours: career advice for people that want to make a difference; they occasionally deal with threats and AI alignment. Check out a recent episode with OpenAI.
• Getting Smart: innovations in learning including implications and applications of AI
• Shaping the 4IR: book and podcast series from World Economic Forum on Shaping the Fourth Industrial Revolution (includes great intro content on AI).

For more see

• Reading List: Nine Smart Books on Artificial Intelligence
• Why Every High School Should Require an AI Course
• Why Social Studies is Becoming AI Studies

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