The AI4Good Summer Lab is a wonderful program that helps individuals grow, learn, and gain new perspectives. On the last day of our program, the participants were asked the following question: “How would you compare yourself before and after going through the AI4Good Summer Lab experience?”. The cohort divided themselves according to the teams they formed for their projects and reflected on this question.
ClimateTimes is Inspired to Jump into the AI Industry
ClimateTimes, a team studying news coverage about climate change, described the following:
“Before the lab, we didn't know much about artificial intelligence and machine learning. Not only did we gain a crash course in the theory, we were able to apply our new-found skill set to a passion project. Several of us in ClimateTimes did not have a huge focus on the type of career we wanted to pursue or the opportunities that were available to us in
the AI ecosystem. Post lab, we are all the more confident in our ability to contribute meaningfully in machine learning-focused roles. One of us is considering a PhD program to explore the intricacies and challenges of NLP further and another is interested in pursuing research roles in industry. As we continue our education, we all want to learn more about machine learning. And we plan to continue our project, ClimateTimes, to build a robust media analysis tool to fight climate change.”
AI.D Learned to Apply Their Skills to Real Problems
In addition, AI.D, a team that created a platform to manage chronic pain using a personal schedule explained:
“The most prominent change is the collective feeling that we are now more confident in our ability to join the AI ecosystem. Seeing all the work, research, and startups contributing to this field was truly exciting, it felt like we were in the thick of it all. Most importantly, we learned and put our skills into practice; it was empowering to not only demystify the haze surrounding AI, but to also implement real solutions for real problems.”
factually.ai Has Found a New Sense of Community
Lastly, another one of our amazing teams, factually.ai, who worked on an online tool that flags potential unreliable information to users, told us the following:
“The AI4Good experience helped us grow, intellectually and personally. Throughout our undergraduate experiences, we all went through periods of self doubt. Throughout this program, we not only strengthened our skills and abilities, but were introduced to many mentors, industry leaders, and other like minded peers. It was incredible to be surrounded by all of these amazing individuals who believed in us and wanted to see us succeed. The experience helped us prove our abilities not only to others, but also to ourselves. After this experience, we feel a new sense of empowerment and community. Going forward, we’re motivated to help the world around us and impart the same feeling in others too!”
The AI4Good Summer Lab team was nothing but proud after receiving these comments.The participants all came into the program with the ambition and work ethic to achieve their dreams. Now, they feel empowered to dive into the AI ecosystem and make a difference in the world. According to our surveys, 93% of our 2019 participants felt empowered after the lab, which demonstrates that the lab is moving forward hand in hand with its mission: to bring more diversity into AI.