The Mark Cuban Foundation and Boca Raton-based ODP Corp. are bringing a free artificial intelligence bootcamp to high school students in Fort Lauderdale.
The course will train ninth to 12th-grade students in technology like generative AI, which can automatically generate content like text and images in response to prompts. The goal is to inspire and prepare teenagers for future careers in computer science and AI.
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“As AI continues to become an undeniable force in all of our lives, it’s crucial that we open the door to this knowledge, especially to young people who want to explore it,” said Mark Cuban, the billionaire entrepreneur behind the foundation.
Cuban, the former principal owner of the NBA's Dallas Mavericks, is well known for his recurring role as a judge on the television show "Shark Tank."
Bootcamp participants will learn how to utilize programs like ChatGPT and Microsoft's cloud computing tools to build their own AI applications.
The 2024 bootcamp will be hosted at the Alan B. Levan NSU Broward Center of Innovation in Fort Lauderdale on Nov. 2, 9 and 16. The training will be led and staffed by ODP Corp, the parent company of retailers Office Depot and OfficeMax. The company is one of more than 25 host businesses selected by the foundation to host bootcamps across the U.S.
Applications for the Fort Lauderdale bootcamp are now open.
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Headquartered in Dallas, the nonprofit Mark Cuban Foundation has sponsored free AI bootcamps for underserved high school students since 2019. The program, held over three consecutive Saturdays, educates students on the applications and ethical implications of AI technology.
Demand for qualified data scientists, machine learning specialists and cybersecurity experts is projected to skyrocket over the next five years as more businesses adopt AI systems, according to an analysis from the McKinsey Global Institute.
"As proponents of the use of AI across our own organization, we’re excited to help high-school students develop a foundational awareness of AI and spark their curiosity to learn more about the possibilities it can bring to their world,” said Andrew Parry, senior vice president and chief information officer at The ODP Corp.
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