You’ve been training robots (probably unwittingly) for years. Recall all the times you have been asked to click the pictures which show a green traffic light before you get access to a website. A bunch of randomly generated images will appear and only if you select the images containing a green traffic light will you gain entry. Do you know what the purpose of this is? To train driverless cars (aka AI) to identify traffic rules.
This is just one of many examples which demonstrate how ubiquitous AI is in our society. But thanks to Queen Maxima, your children might grow up with more AI awareness than most of us have. As of next month, the Netherlands’ first AI course for children will begin. The course aims to encourage awareness around AI technology and improve technology skills. “In this way they can function optimally in a world in which technology plays an increasingly important role”, the government said to NL times.
The course, developed by the National AI, FurutreNL, and UpgradeNL, will launch in De Rank primary school in Toldijk but will soon be available in many other schools throughout the Netherlands.
Why do the kids have all the fun?
Don’t worry, a free course for Dutchies has been launched! Earlier this year the ‘Nationale AI-cursus’ began. This is a free (good for us cheap dutchies) online course for all Dutch people which covers the basics about AI like what it is, the rules surrounding AI and the future of work with AI. The course was modelled on a similar initiative created by University of Helsinki.
Jim Stolze, the founder, told the University of Amsterdam that “Artificial intelligence is no longer something of the future. It is intertwined in all aspects of daily life. From (almost) self-driving cars to the newsfeed of Facebook. Everything that has an electrical plug can eventually become a self-learning system.”
Don’t have the time for a course but curious to know more? Brush up your knowledge with this quick YouTube video instead:
