Intel Opens Opportunities For Students To Take AI Courses

Intel opens up opportunities for students and students to take AI courses. (photo: unsplash)

JAKARTA – Intel said on Tuesday, August 3 that it is expanding a program aimed at educating future engineers and technologists about the intricacies of artificial intelligence and helping them find work in their chosen field.

The AI for Workforce program offers students and students courses on data collection, computer vision, AI (Artificil Intelligent) model training, coding, social impact and the ethics of AI technology. Students who complete the program will be awarded a certificate or associate degree in artificial intelligence.

The program started as a collaboration with Arizona community colleges but expanded to 18 community colleges in 11 states through a partnership with Dell Technologies, which will provide guidance on how to best configure an AI lab to teach students in-person, hybrid, and online.

AI, driven by a new utility of technology called neural networks based loosely on how the human brain works, has revolutionized the tech industry. It's used for everything from facial recognition to browsing spam from email inboxes and autonomous vehicles.

“AI is one of the superpowers driving innovation, economic growth, job creation, and progress in every aspect of society,” Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger said in a statement.

"The next generation of workforce will need AI skills and training to develop solutions to the world's greatest challenges, and community colleges play a huge role in unleashing innovative thinking," he said, adding that his interest in technology was sparked at community colleges.

As AI expands into areas such as healthcare, aerospace, and manufacturing, demand is also expected to increase. A recent EdScoop survey of 246 educators, administrators and IT decision makers in higher education found that 73% of educators expect increased demand for employees with AI-related skills.

“There is clearly a tremendous need for more AI skills in the future workforce, and community colleges attract students from a wide range of backgrounds -- making them perfect for helping to better diversify AI,” Gregory Bryant, executive vice president and general manager of Client Computing Group at Intel, said in a statement.

Intel itself has made AI a key part of its plans to reclaim its once dominant position in chip manufacturing. While AI is already prominent on mobile and in the cloud, Intel believes hardware makers will soon demand hardware that accelerates the task of artificial intelligence in personal computers and has already started producing chips with built-in AI capabilities.

Intel plans to expand the workforce program to more than 50 community and vocational colleges next year.