The AI Equity Project, an Artificial Intelligence nonprofit, will host a workshop on Tuesday at 5 p.m. at the Flower Mound Pubic Library to help older adults learn AI tools with student guides.
Image generation and enhancement will be the focus of the group’s first event in Flower Mound, according to Kiran Raja, a member of The AI Equity Project.
“Participants are going to learn how to create art or postcards and enhance old photos,” he said. “This is something that actually requires a bit of skill, but the way the workshops are structured, it really helps them accomplish it.”
Participants will come in with an old photo and the guides, students from local high schools, will teach them how to describe the details, how to structure them into a prompt and then continue to develop the AI output.
Raja said participants can come in with zero technical experience and can benefit from the workshop. There are still plenty of spots available for the event.
The goal is to allow seniors to learn and understand more about artificial intelligence from young, digital natives, while also helping younger generations grow their communication skills as guides.
“It really makes for a great community bonding experience,” said Raja. “High schoolers are digital natives, they grew up in this era of AI and they get to gain communication skills… those conversations make the adult participants feel more comfortable.”
Raja emphasized the importance of reaching out to older adults to learn about AI and not dismissing their ability to learn.
The workshop in Flower Mound will be the first that The AI Equity Project will put on as part of a pilot program that hopes to increase AI knowledge in local communities.
“This is like the pilot workshop to get everyone interested and then from there, it’s just only going to get better,” said Raja. “Participants learning about and exploring AI at their own pace can discover what it can really do for them. The skill that you learn from this, it’s amazing, so they’re really learning how to get the most out of these tools.”
Workshops will also educate on how AI can be used responsibly, securely and professionally. Raja said he has been happy about the willingness of high schoolers to volunteer their time to guide at the workshop.
“I think that needs to be the biggest focus of everyone in the AI sphere, just using to benefit people’s lives,” he said. “With the younger generation volunteering like this, we’re setting up the next generation of AI professionals who are interested in using it for good, not just to make money.”
In the future, Raja and The AI Equity Project hope to expand to more communities and host more workshops on a wide range of topics.
“We can’t wait to grow host more classes where we teach more specialized topics because that’s where you need a little bit more help, but those can also provide real life benefit,” he said. “When you start using AI for necessary daily tasks, that’s where it becomes super impactful, and that’s what we’re looking forward to doing.”
To register for the event at the Flower Mound Public Library, visit the library’s website.
Raja said the group is looking to host another event in Little Elm, but a date and time have not been decided, yet.
The AI Equity Project also does its own work, challenging members to use AI to create beneficial solutions to real-world problems.
To learn more about The AI Equity Project, visit the nonprofit organization’s website.
