Overcome the fear of messing up: Durham College AI Hub course for executives helps address barriers to businesses adopting AI Posted on September 25, 2024 at 11:53 am. When it comes to adopting Artificial Intelligence (AI), businesses have two fears: missing out and messing up. To tackle that second fear—messing up— and ensure that businesses don’t miss out on the transformative power of AI, Durham College’s AI Hub has partnered with the Council of Canadian Innovators to launch the AI Guide Program. The innovative program is a six-week intensive executive development program for non-technical professionals in Canada’s business and innovation sectors, including leaders in HR, sales, operations and public affairs. “One of the things that was coming up again and again with companies and individuals was this trepidation around adopting AI in a responsible way,” explains AI Hub Senior Manager Natalie Arthurs. “These sticky issues of governance, responsible AI ethics, how data is being used, those are the issues that a lot of non-technical leaders and executives grapple with and it’s creating an impediment to moving forward with AI.” Dr. Priyamvada Tripathi, a DC faculty member who teaches AI and data analytics, is the lead instructor for the program. She explains the 90-minute online sessions will feature a series of industry guest speakers who will bring practical scenarios to the table. “We’re getting real-world perspectives and the guest speakers have the experience of how AI is being implemented, what are the road blocks to adoption and how to balance all the concerns about AI with innovation,” said Tripathi. That means the course will focus on practicalities and business concerns like key performance indicators and value generation. “How do you balance all that, how do you remain ethical while not losing out on the race to adopt AI,” she said. “Especially for us Canadians, how do we stay competitive while maintaining our core values?” The program targets non-technical leaders because in many cases they are the people making overarching decisions for businesses. “We’re helping address the fear of messing up component here by giving people that literacy, by giving them hands-on, real-world case studies and session leaders who have been there, done that,” Arthurs adds. The AI Guide Program runs between October 23 and November 27. Registration closes October 13. Durham College’s Progressive Approach to Generative AI Tools Posted on September 8, 2023 at 11:28 am. Durham College is leading the way by embracing artificial intelligence. Dr. Elaine Popp, executive vice president, academic, shares her thoughts on how AI is shaping how we work, teach and learn at DC. In an era of rapid technological advancements, the emergence of generative artificial intelligence – or GenAI – tools has ignited a wave of innovation across industries. It is revolutionizing how we teach, learn and prepare post-secondary students at Durham College (DC) for their future careers. Already outpacing traditional artificial intelligence’s ability to analyze data and make predictions, GenAI software can write essays, recommend computer code, draft exams and student assignments, generate graphics, and much more. At minimum, one of GenAI’s benefits is its ability to improve efficiency in instructional and administrative tasks, allowing faculty members to focus more on teaching and supporting students directly. More broadly, this technology is being adapted by faculty into their teaching and learning practices in purposeful ways to enhance student learning and support the development of transferable skills in alignment with industry expectations. With new technology like this, we need to be constantly curating resources to help harness its potential and be aware of its risks. DC’s Framework for Implementing Generative AI is a living document designed to help support faculty members use these tools, which focuses on five principles: Intentionality, Active Engagement, Responsibility for Accuracy, Ensuring Ethical and Legal Considerations, and Reflective Practice as an Evaluation of Learning. As with any transformative technology, there are challenges, and we recognize the importance of authentic assessments, safeguarding against biases and ensuring data privacy. This framework will help address these concerns. Beyond its use in teaching and learning, the College’s approach to GenAI and AI extends to our program development and applied research, ensuring our students are prepared to lead the way in constantly evolving industries. We offer an Honours Bachelor of Artificial Intelligence and a graduate certificate in Artificial Intelligence, Analysis, Design and Implementation. Students in these programs have opportunities to work with faculty and industry professionals in The AI Hub, DC’s applied research centre dedicated to supporting industry partners to uncover business insights while providing intelligent and autonomous solutions with the help of AI. If we aim to provide our students with the best possible learning experiences, embracing the evolution of GenAI is not merely an option but a necessity. By nurturing innovation and responsible usage, DC is preparing students for the demands of tomorrow while contributing to the evolution of education in the digital age. These are just some of the ways we are leveraging GenAI. How will it help you?
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